Hermione's Revenge
by Pantalaimon3
Summary: Draco Malfoy taunts her and her friends for more than six years. Hermione decides that this has to come to an end... his worst misdeed: Hermione's emotional world isn't intact anymore. HG/DM
1. Chapter 1

Hermione's Revenge

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This is my first fic and I actually wrote it in German, but I thought it could be funny to translate it into English (and thereby improve my English skills) ;)

This story has 24 chapters, about 70 000 words and is already finished. I just have to translate it.

I really tried hard to do a good job; so please let me know whether the story is worth to be continued or whether native speakers have to scream inwardly... I may be good in German, but English is a whole different story.

* * *

Since the holidays lasted for weeks, Hermione Granger was already tired of hanging out and waiting. So, without further ado, she decided to risk a short trip to Diagon Alley to buy some new books for the upcoming school year.

Well, she had always been at home, with her parents, who had also noticed the cruel war in their daughter's wizarding world, despite their Muggel lives. Obviously this war was especially dangerous for their daughter, because she didn't descend from wizards.

That was why they didn't want her to go to Ron Weasley, Hermione's schoolmate; their worries about Hermione were too big. So Hermione complied unwillingly.

Now Hermione was hanging out deedlessly- she'd finished her homework only after one week- and waited for the newspaper, the "Daily Prophet", a rag maybe, but if it was about the latest horrifying and shocking news, this newspaper was surprisingly accurate.

After one week passing without the prophet reporting about Death Eater- attacks or breakouts from Askaban but telling about the aurors' success, Hermione thought it would be safe enough to go to Diagon Alley (the Muggel way by subway) to buy her new books, ingredients for potions, and- as Hermione had to admit as the newly elected Head Girl- Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Some of them had been proved extremely helpful for the aims of the DA, e.g. the Instant Darkness Powder.

Not that Hermione couldn't order her supplies by Owl Post. But she just felt like going out and getting away from home for a short time, back to _her_ world and not the rather boring Muggel London she could go to with her parents.

But she was upset that she had do her shopping trip all alone; her best friends Ron und Harry were tied up unfortunately: Harry, likely the most wanted person of all Death Eaters, wasn't even allowed to think about setting just one foot in a strip mall. And Ron- well, Mrs Weasley, his mother, was so caring that she wouldn't let her youngest children Ron and Ginny go on their own.

"Mum, Dad?", Hermione started after the morning reading of the newspaper, "Today I have to go- as an exception- and buy my books for school and everything else. But I'd be back for dinner." Politely, she added: "If you want to, you can join me." Hermione knew very well, that her parents appreciated her wizarding talents, but magic in a great extent like in Diagon Alley made Mr and Mrs Granger still a bit uncomfortable. As dentists, they were quite helpless in this unexplored world. So they said just what Hermione had hoped for: "No, dear, you know, it's hard for us to find our way there; just go on your own and take care of yourself. If you want to, we could go to SoHo and window- shop there tomorrow."

So Hermione went on her own. Of course she was happy to finally shop "for real", because the wizarding world had a lot more surprises and attractions than the muggle world.

Hermione was surprised at first that Diagon Alley wasn't as busy as she remembered it from previous years. And the people there acted different, too: they didn't stop to admire the displayed goods in the shop windows, but hurried from one shop to another and seemed to fear the large, sunlit street.

Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to go shopping? Hermione scolded herself a coward, like Harry she pronounced Voldemort's name loudly and had fought against the Death Eaters- and now she was afraid of a street?

Nobody besides a few schoolmates would be able to identify her as a Muggleborn- or as a, like Draco Malfoy, her archenemy, would say, a mudblood. And here in public, she surely didn't have to expect a personal attack.

Malfoy. Just the thought of this person made Hermione squinch up her face with disgust. This incarnate arrogance stalked around in Hogwarts like he was Adonis himself; followed by Pansy Parkinson, who seemed to think of herself as a second Aphrodite, and finally Crabbe and Goyle, who had to be, if one kept at Greek mythology, the Cyclops.

In Hermione's opinion Malfoy was more likely Narcissus with a cortege of furies.

Hermione snorted when she thought of her enemy. His pureblooded- ness and his Malfoy family pride may be important to him, but she had beaten him in every single exam since first grade. Knowing this, she managed to ignore his acrimonious words. He couldn't do anything to her, a very talented witch- and obviously Malfoy knew that, too, because he didn't try to hex her anymore, in opposition to Harry and Ron.

Hermione shook her thoughts about Malfoy off, when she entered the bookstore in pleasant anticipation. She had found her schoolbooks quickly and so she could take a lot of time in searching for interesting reading.

A weighty tome caught her eye and Hermione began to read immediately. The book, as unimpressing as title and author might sound, was about a highly interesting theme, namely Defense against the Dark Arts. There weren't just descriptions of standard- spells like "_Protego_", "_Stupor_" and suchlike; no, it was rather an encyclopedia with a lot of uncommon spells, whose effects were precisely illustrated and against which spell of the Dark Arts the most effective protection could be achieved.

Hermione was fascinated- never she had seen, aside from Harry's potions book of the Halfblood Price, written dark spells. Not that she actually planed on using Dark Magic!

But first of all, a Hermione Granger never ignored a presented way of qualification and second, she was of the opinion that it could be always helpful if you knew your enemy's side- in this case the Death Eaters' spells and which counterspell would achieve the best effect. Also, this could be helpful for Harry and the DA- followers. Most of them had a very small repertoire of spells.

Hermione paid and just in the moment when she reached for the door to open it, it was already opened. No, it burst open with a loud crack. Appalled, Hermione jumped backwards and dropped her satchel in a quick motion in order to pull out her wand.

The adventures with Harry all over the years and especially the fight in the Department of Mysteries took its toll: Hermione's fighting reflexes showed themselves and so she pointed with her wand directly in the center of the entering person. Draco Malfoy, his mother Narcissa behind him.

Hermione exhaled and drooped her wand when she noticed Malfoy's bossy- taunting facial expression. It was clear, that just a Malfoy entered like that to be sure of all the attention in the whole store.

Just in time she observed that his lips were curling up to a malicious smile and that he opened his mouth to comment on the situation or to insult her.

Hermione decided that it was about time to answer back in advance. "Well, Malfoy, seems like you need such an appearance badly as your father's still in Askaban, because without him no one pays you attention.", Hermione said loudly, so that the surrounding people, who all stared at the Malfoys, could hear every word. "_Accio books_!", Hermione hissed and she saw Malfoy closing his mouth. This, she had been able to manage only once: in third grade when she hit him in the face.

Hermione had to pass Malfoy anyway and so she saw no reason why she shouldn't repeat the previous incidence and slapped him soundingly in his face. "For your arrogance!", she said and exited the shop. She heard people beginning to laugh in the bookstore. Had someone ever seen an embarrassed Malfoy?

Hermione glanced back and she watched Malfoy and his mother blushing. Both were very busy to keep their countenance. In this moment she realized that Malfoy would hate her from now on even more than before. But for now the sensation of victory was more important than her guilty conscience. The Weasleys and Harry will be laughing a lot, when they hear about this, Hermione thought.

After visiting Gringotts and an old pharmacy, Hermione had completed her shopping and so she headed for her home.

* * *

Draco Malfoy's holidays were everything else than restorative. He had hardly arrived at Malfoy Manor when he had to notice that the entire Death Eater mob occupied his home. They seemed to use the Manor as their headquarters. People like Crabbe and Goyle's fathers, the werewolf Greyback or Peter Pettigrew quite disgusted him: the former had no manners and were less than primitive and the latter was a betrayer, who just sided with the Dark Lord because of fear.

And such things resided in the estate he'd inherit someday, if he managed to come out of the war safely.

His mother had accepted this fact more or less approving like she had when his father still had been on the loose. Well, since he wasn't freed yet, it seemed to be the Dark Lord's punishment for Lucius Malfoy and obviously it was Draco's task to take responsibility at home since his mother didn't do it.

It hadn't been easy to reprimand the mob, but with a few threats and self- confidence Draco managed to earn the Death Eaters' respect. Only he shouldn't have boast about his quasi nonexistent, special alliance with the Dark Lord himself.

After finding out that he didn't have the Dark Mark yet- Voldemort usually didn't chose pupils- the Dark Lord was asked to invite Draco to the inner Death Eater circles, attention should be paid to his pride, his loyalty and his leadership skills.

When he heard about that, Draco felt insecure for the first time, when he thought about his father's destiny in Askaban. Sailing in the backwash of the Malfoy family was nice enough, but navigate the ship in dangerous places himself? Draco was doubtful. Moreover, there was his mother.

Narcissa had called him one evening to her room and turned his opinion about her inside out. He remembered what she had said: "Draco, your father and I, we've always been proud of you, you know that. Lucius, because he beliefs that he raised you well, with the right ideals. Me, because you're my son. But I won't approve of you taking the same paths your father did. He never understood that we won't win this war. We from Slytherin do have ideals, which are worth keeping, but pride about being a pureblood doesn't have to be one of them. I learnt it in a very painful way, when they more or less forced me to marry your father to maintain the pureblood status."

By that, Draco had cut off his mother. "If you don't stand behind father's words, why did you never defend yourself, stand by your opinion?", he arrogantly had talked down to his mother.

Narcissa had laughed in surprise. "I thought you know what it means to be a Malfoy!", had been her answer. After being silent for a very long time, she had added: "I just want to say one thing, Draco. Think about your choices and choose wisely. You're old enough. Now… go."

Draco had been awake for hours after the talk. He'd thought about her words. Until now, he'd pondered, he never even considered to question the Malfoy principles. Above all, he enjoyed the power of his name too much to not cope with it. But that was exactly what his mother had meant…

In the meantime Draco knew better. He'd refuse to become a Death Eater. Why should he, he'd possibly make a mistake, which was utterly impossible to reverse. And he quite doubted that he could absolve the Dark Lord's test of loyalty.

The best way to escape the Dark Lord was disappearing to Hogwarts. This might be cowardly, but for Merlin's sake, he didn't have Potter's Gryffindor- courage to face the threat.

As soon as the owl from Hogwarts arrived, his decision was made: he'd go and seek at least temporary safety in Hogwarts. His mother accepted his decision without any comment. Probably she also thought it was the best he could do, Draco thought, because in Hogwarts her son would be out of fireline.

With his mother, Draco apparated to Diagon Alley to shop for all the supplies he needed for Hogwarts. To his disapproval he noticed, that the Weasleys refused to sell their Wizarding Wheezes to him. He got even angrier with the blood traitors than he was before, before even thinking about it. Annoyed, he left their shop and ran to the bookstore, his surprised mother- she'd been waiting outside and didn't understand his anger- following him. Enraged, Draco kicked the door as it didn't open the usual way. Today it wasn't his day.

With a loud crack the door opened and Draco saw someone stumble back and a lot of puzzled pair of eyes. Then he noticed that it had been Granger, who had dropped her books, obviously being afraid, and he began to smirk automatically in order to affront her. Even he wasn't able to change his habits in a few days only. Also, was _extremely_ sorry.

But before he could say anything, he saw her wand pointed at him and wanted to pull out his own, when Granger began talking to _him_. "Well, Malfoy, seems like you need such an appearance badly as your father's still in Askaban, because without him no one pays you attention." With the help of a spell, she collected her books and started to go to him, before he was able to reprehend her because of her presumptuousness or hex her.

In slow motion he observed her lifting her hand. Then she slapped him in face, hard. "For your arrogance!", Granger commented. With these final words she exited and Draco felt his cheek burning.

But worse than the pain was the laughter of the bystanders. Draco realized that he couldn't threaten the people with his father or just flash them an evil glance in order to keep them quiet. This was past tense, since his father was in Askaban.

His face reddened and it wasn't just the skin reaction to Granger's firm hit. That dirty mudblood embarrassed him, Draco Malfoy, and his mother in front of all these people!

Angry but with his chin up Draco finally entered the shop completely and collected all the books he needed quickly, but not in such a hurry the bystanders, who now whispered, could possibly mistake it as an escape.

When he apparated to Malfoy Manor with his mother an hour later, he was mostly calm. After all he knew, he' d just kick some others, who were below him. If there was no House- Elf available, he'd teach Crabbe with an _Imperio_ a few table manners, at least… no one placed his feet on the ancient nutwood- table…


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione was really looking forward to the upcoming school year. Finally she'd see Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna and all the others from DA again and hold her function as Head Girl. The Head Boy, she knew from professor McGonagall, was a guy from Ravenclaw. Thank Merlin, it wasn't Malfoy. It was worse enough that he bullied the students without ever being punished, because he was a prefect and professor Snape's favorite.

Thinking about him, Hermione grinned evilly. His facial expression in the bookshop had been priceless. But the best thing was that as a Head, her responsibilities were extended. This meant that she could deduct points from the prefects from now on. Malfoy's bad luck.

Hold on, Hermione reprimanded herself absorbed in thoughts, you won't abuse your function for such an idiot like Malfoy! Okay, but _if_ he breaks a rule…

Hermione startled when she heard her mother calling her: "Hermione? Are you ready? Please, carry your trunk downstairs, we want to leave!" Oh, yeah, two hours left and the Hogwarts Express would depart. Hermione hurried up.

When she had stored her trunk in the train, she said goodbye to her parents, who repeatedly told her to take care of herself. Mr and Mrs Granger finally left and Hermione looked for her friends. She smiled slightly, thinking of the chaos in the Burrow, when the day of departure came.

Harry would begin to pack his bags after getting up. Ron would try desperately to catch Pigwidgeon, his little owl, and lock him in his cage. Mrs Weasley would send Ginny- ready for departure since three days- up to the boys, so she'd bring them lost socks or forgotten books for school. Ginny would criticize Ron and Harry, and as always Harry would smile insecure and Ron would turn into the color of a tomato. Then he'd shout at her that she wasn't his and Harry's Mum. Ginny would be irritated, turn red like her brother and begin to rant and rave just like Mrs Weasley.

Hermione grinned. At ten to eleven the Weasleys and Harry finally arrived. Hermione wasn't disappointed: Ron, Ginny and Mrs Weasley still had quite red cheeks and Harry smiled insecure as if he didn't know how to act.

Hermione ran towards them, hugged her friends stormily and eventually greeted Mr and Mrs Weasley. "I'm glad to see you! I'm so sorry I couldn't come this year, thanks for the invitation anyway…" Ginny linked arms with Hermione immediately and lead her to the train. Hermione suspected what was going to come soon… a talk about Harry Potter.

When they had found an empty compartment, Ginny began to babble instantly. Harry here, Harry there. Who was the new Quidditch captain, aha. Hermione knew, that Ginny fancied Harry since she first set eyes on him and that none of her previous boyfriends had made Harry jealous.

But Hermione also knew Harry's unsureness since a certain time when he was being in Ginny's presence. She waited patiently and listened to Ginny's complaint about insensitive Ron, who'd prefer to forbid her every relationship with a boy and Harry's blindness for her. Hermione sighed internally and as always, she explained that maybe Harry still needed some time or that she should solve the problem aggressively, when the door of their compartment flew open suddenly.

Hermione and Ginny looked up, feeling like they were caught red- handed. A derisive Malfoy was standing in the door and pointed his wand to Hermione. "The Mudblood and the blood traitor.", he spat out. "Your jokes are becoming more and more unintelligent and old, Malfoy.", Hermione answered unaffected.

"Really, Granger?", Malfoy hissed. He leaned against the door casually, his followers behind him. "If I were you, I'd be more careful, _Mudblood_. I just wanted to warn you.", he said threatening.

Hermione sat up. She didn't feel very safe, sitting unarmed in front of Malfoy, but he wouldn't dare to hex her in front of Ginny in the train. No, she really didn't feel too well, when he looked at her like that. Like a… cockroach beneath his foot. His grey eyes were fixing her.

"Sod off, Malfoy!", Ginny finally spit and Hermione woke from her numbness. "Malfoy. Piss off now, you and your sidekicks aren't welcome here. Don't you get it? And if you even dare so much as touch one hair of me or my friends, it'll cost you more than points."

With these words Hermione stood up and let him see her Head Girl badge, which was pinned to her robe. She noticed with satisfaction that his eyes widened for a moment, then he turned around wordlessly and slammed the door.

Hermione sat back relieved. "Good riddance…", she groaned. Ginny looked at her questioningly. "What was his problem? Did something happen?", she wanted to know. "Come on, let's go to the boys, I'll tell you all.", Hermione grinned.

Finally at Hogwarts, Hermione was looking forward to the feast. But first The Sorting Hat would distribute the new pupils and Dumbledore held his obligatory speech and then there would be the culinary part of the evening. When she sat down and greeted Lavender and Parvati, Hermione discovered angrily, that she had a very good sight towards the Slytherin's table today. In the middle of all sat Draco Malfoy and acted like he was the king himself.

This year, it was the first time Hermione didn't listen to The Sorting Hat or Dumbledore's speech. Instead she thought about Malfoy. As if she hadn't already thought enough about this, this… well, there was no adequate swearword for him- Harry started talking about Malfoy during dinner.

"Hermione, Ron, do you think, is it possible that Malfoy's a Death Eater? Look, how he usually behaves and with such a father…" Ron agreed, but Hermione looked up and glanced scrutinizingly at the certain Slytherin. When he looked into her direction, Hermione quickly turned away and told her friends: "No, somehow, I don't believe this."

Harry almost choked on his turkey and Ron said with a full mouth: "Areyoucrashy, 'Ermione? Tshat's somewhatobvioushly!" Although Hermione knew what Ron had said, she asked again politely: "Excuse me?" Ron swallowed and repeated: "Hermione, I mean, it's quite obvious that he belongs to them for a very long time!"

Hermione shook her head resolutely. "I know, he's mean and thinks he was something better, he proved this for the last six years, the slimy ferret." Harry and Ron laughed at her last words. This joke didn't get old, even after almost three years.

"But I don't think he'd go that far.", Hermione continued, "And even if, can you imagine Voldemort"- Ron flinched- "recruiting a _pupil_ of all things under Dumbledore's nose?"

After a short pause Hermione went on: "Well, I don't think so. Voldemort would have been stupid to do so or Malfoy wouldn't have returned to Hog-" "Well analyzed, Granger, you know- it- all.", a vibrating voice cut in on Hermione's statement.

Ron and Harry jumped up immediately, their wands ready for a fight. But Malfoy just laughed maliciously and moved away with his appendices. "He's not stupid enough to provoke a fight in front of the teachers… elsewise not even Snape could rescue him.", she muttered. Harry and Ron sat down again, fuming.

No, Malfoy couldn't be a Death Eater. He just had proved her assumption true, even if Ron and Harry presumably didn't notice this, because they usually weren't buoyant as soon as he appeared.

Shaking her head, she rose to show the first graders the way up to the Gryffindor's common room.

* * *

Draco didn't want to admit it, but even he was looking forward to being in Hogwarts again, which was more of home to him than the Manor. Although the whole castle was alive with unworthy people- especially Granger and Dumbledore. Somehow it bruised his ego that he wasn't given the function as a Head.

But giving away this job fell to McGonagall and Dumbledore and it was known that both of them were in Gryffindor, when they had been pupils in Hogwarts. So it was easy for Draco to put the blame on the teachers instead asking himself, why two other students became Head and not Draco.

Surely saint Potter was made Head Boy, because Dumbledore paid homage to him incessantly and expressed his adoration by giving him unfair extra- points at the end of the term, which cost Slytherin the well- deserved House Cup every year.

Despite his anger about the Gryffindors generally and Potter, Weasel and Mudblood especially, he was glad to return anyway. What would Hogwarts be without the inter- house- rivalry.

With his typical malfoy punctuality, Draco apparated to King's Cross; without his mother, whom he said goodbye shortly and without displaying emotions. Parting tearfully like the Weasleys wasn't his cup of tea. Just as little he felt regret having left his family at home, when he passed Longbottom, who was admonished by his grandmother to not forget this and that.

Relaxed, he entered Hogwarts Express and looked for his favorite compartment, where Pansy Parkinson was already sitting and waiting for him. "Draco! It's nice to finally see you again!", she cried. "My parents say that you-" "Shut up, Pansy!", Draco intervened to prevent her to tell something about the Death Eaters' plans in public.

He didn't want to sound too rude, so he just smiled at her apologetically. Yeah, this was necessary, because Pansy could be very useful to him, not just as an exhaustless source of information- Merlin knows where this woman heard all the gossip- but also as girlfriend, if he felt like he needed one and no one else was in sight.

She wasn't exactly the brightest of the female students, but her looks alone made it impossible for any man to throw her out of his bed. For a moment Draco considered whether it was that fact that assured her the most reliable information and gossip, but Pansy wouldn't cheat on him, it just wasn't her style. Like a Hufflepuff, she believed in the one, great, true love and it seemed that Draco was that for her. The emphasis lay at "_she believed_".

After a couple of minutes, Draco stood up to control the aisle in the train. With a certain amount of luck, Gryffindor would start with a drawback in the new term. He flattened his robe and went outside. Unasked, the whole compartment followed him, besides Blaise, who just looked after them, frowning. At least one person, who wasn't a cringer.

Unfortunately no student trespassed the rules, which didn't help to improve his mood. When he wanted to pass another compartment, he spotted Granger and the weasel- girl, sitting in there and talking. He thought, he had heard "Harry" out of it. Of course. Potter.

With a superior glance he pulled out his wand and opened the compartment's door with verve. Both girls flinched, he noticed satisfied. Granger seemed to be speechless today. So he deigned to give them a well meant advise after insulting them as usual.

"If I were you, I'd be more careful, _Mudblood_. I just wanted to warn you.", he calmly said. Granger didn't have to know how upset he still was about the incident in Diagon Alley. He also noticed that she stared at him a bit unintelligently, so he stared back. What was the matter with Gryffindor's only brain?

He decided to ask her about it, but the little Weasel hissed at him and Granger followed quick and demonstrated that she had been made Head Girl. No. That couldn't be true. Not Granger. With compressed lips and no further comment he turned around and walked back to his compartment.

During the whole ceremony Draco watched his enemies closely. Especially the Gryffindors and Dumbledore. Suddenly, he felt a glance. He looked up fast and managed to get a glimpse at Granger, who turned to her food again. _Her_.

Draco examined her on his part. The Gryffindor seemed to say something whereupon Potter and Weasley reacted very fierce. Typical Gryffindor. They weren't able to control their emotions. He rose from his table slowly. First of all Mudblood's glance towards him, then the other idiots… their talk was obviously about him.

Draco arrived just in time to hear Hermione's words about him and Voldemort. He suppressed his anger and cut into her speech: "Well analyzed, Granger, you know- it- all."

This time, he really meant his words as he had almost said them: as a commendation. Gryffindor's brain indeed. Stop. What was he doing there? Did he just respect Granger? Hiding his feelings behind a sneering mask, Draco disappeared to the dungeons. Well, you've got to hand it to her: she wasn't as stupid as Potter and Weasel. But this didn't mean a lot.

And he should stop saying "Mudblood", if he wanted to distance himself from the Dark Lord. Okay, that didn't mean he had to stop for Granger, but for the rest of the school.

And now that Granger told so overtrustfully- typical Gryffindor- that he was no Death Eater, Draco felt affirmed in his decision. Tough it came from Granger. Or maybe just because of her, because she belonged to the enemies and not to the bootlicker all around him.

He pushed a few first graders out of his way and went to his dormitory, escorted by Crabbe and Goyle junior. Even if he had met their fathers and hated them, he saw no reason not to tolerate their stupid offspring, as long as they proved useful and weren't a pain in his neck.

Sighing, he plopped on the soft bed. Finally at Hogwarts again. Let's see how the schedule looks this year… not again with Gryffindor… Draco fell asleep.

* * *

AN: I'd really appreciate some reviews. I'm very insecure whether my English is good enough to continue! I feel like I didn't pay attention in my English classes at all. I feel especially stupid when I don't know when to use which form of past tense... I don't expect an essay, just write "It's crap" oder "Continue" and I'll delete the story, if it's that bad, or I'll go on translating. Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione usually was woken up by her alarm clock, but today she heard some giggling. She rolled her eyes. Lavender and Parvati. What boy was it this time? "Ah Hermione, you're awake already.", Parvati said. She and Lavender started snickering again.

Lavender said: "Hermione, tell us, haven't you noticed how beautiful Draaaco Malfoy looks latterly? He's so cute!" She and Parvati giggled again.

"What, Malfoy?", Hermione yawned. "WHAT MALFOY!", she shouted loudly. The two other girls flinched. Hermione pulled herself together and lowered her voice to a normal volume. "Despite he's a Slytherin, a stinky ferret and disgusting vermin- yes, he actually looks quite good."

Lavender and Parvati looked at her scandalized, but they were quiet. Hermione yawned again and went to the prefect's bathroom.

Malfoy, she thought, now they're going crazy. I'll never understand their passing fancies. Okay, I never tried to get to know boys… on the other side it wasn't Hermione's general lack of interest- she was just too occupied witch school and Voldemort to mind such things, too.

While Hermione splashed in the water und played mindlessly with the foam, she thought ahead. She'd never be a daft bimbo like Lavender, who fancied every second week another boy. But being 17 and being the brightest witch of Hogwarts she should be able to understand Lavender's point of view.

So Hermione tried to put herself into Lavender and Parvati's place. Malfoy hadn't had a reason to call her a Mudblood or bully her disproportional often, because she wouldn't be Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter's best friend. Moreover, her grades weren't better than Malfoy's and he didn't have to cover his envy by insults.

If there weren't all the prejudices Malfoy held, well, what would be left then? Hm, a quite good looking Slytherin, intelligent and quick- witted on top of that.

Maybe, Hermione reasoned, Lavender isn't wrong with that. And she and Parvati aren't the only ones who adored Malfoy. One half of Hogwarts did that. The female part. Hermione grinned. Malfoy's charm only didn't work with her. Guess why. That's because it's _Malfoy_. And not just a guy in seventh grade, who looked stunning.

And maybe this was a reason which should be told Lavender and Parvati, so that they didn't land in Malfoy's dormitory as another trophy, like approximately a third of the Hogwarts population… this room was part of a lot of mysteries and legends and gossip- one couldn't tell what was the girls' fantasies or what actually the truth was.

Hermione decided that she didn't want to know details, above all Malfoy never took action against all the gossip. Quite the opposite. It was said that he was in a relationship with Pansy Parkinson, but it never stopped the gossip. And, surely, neither Malfoy's adventures.

Hermione suddenly flinched. What was she doing? When did she start to think about Malfoy's affairs? If girls are stupid enough to fall for him, so be it.

Hermione mumbled something to herself, when somebody beat against the portrait and shouted loudly: "Hey, hello? Are you going to finish today, kindly let me in!" Hermione quickly dried herself, clothed and opened the door.

Merlin, déjà vue: Draco Malfoy in the door. She decided that her day was bad. Malfoy stared at her, furious. "Granger! I'm waiting here for …", he started.

"Shut up, Malfoy!", Hermione intervened, "Ten points from Slytherin, because of loud and unmotivated yelling on the floor in the morning. That's annoying. And now, go wash the phlegm out of your fur, ferret!", she scoffed.

Now he knew how a Gryffindor felt during Potions with Severus Snape. She wanted to pass him speedily to run up to the Gryffindor tower. You better avoided an enraged Malfoy, Hermione knew since first grade. Especially, if one forgot his wand in the dormitory.

But Malfoy was faster. Maybe it was his reflexes from Quidditch practice. Anyway, he managed to barely catch the Head Girl. Hermione wanted to struggle, but Malfoy was stronger than her. He grabbed her and pushed her against the wall, until he had his wand in his hand. Then let go of her abruptly and just pushed the tip of his wand into her stomach.

Hermione stayed calm externally, but inwardly she cursed herself for being stupid. How could she forget her wand and then make Malfoy see red? Now he began talking.

"I've warned you, Granger. But you wouldn't listen. Typical Gryffindor. Every Slytherin would have gotten the message, but you, Granger, are too dense to get a broad hint." He made a pause and very self- pleased, he looked into Hermione's face, which was strained by bottomless hatred.

God, this guy was so dislikeable, and now she was at his mercy.

"Let's see, Potter and Weasel aren't nearby to rescue the damsel in distress, so I'll have to let you lie around on the floor.", Malfoy purred sneaky. Then he cried: "_Petrificus totalus_!" and Hermione wasn't able to move any more. "You know, once I broke Potter's nose the same way.", Malfoy continued in a normal voice, "but I don't beat girls. Not even you, Mudblood. I'd have to touch you. But I did that already today and I don't want to spatter myself more than necessary. Good that I take a bath now."

With these words Malfoy disappeared from Hermione's sight and she thought she'd burst from hate. How could someone be such an arrogant crock! Okay, she hadn't behaved any better, but hexing an unarmed was out of question for Hermione.

Just when she'd thought long enough to feel the slightest regret about her behavior against Malfoy, he appeared again. Irately she looked at him, as far as this was possible for her. "Well, Granger, I wish you a nice first day in school!", he mocked her, renewed the spell and left.

Her fury burnt up again. Were Parvati and Lavender intelligent enough to tell Ron or Harry that she hadn't returned from taking a bath? Did her friends actually know where this bathroom was? Hm, yes, Ron was a prefect himself and Harry knew about it, too. After all he'd taken a bath there with the golden egg in fourth grade, when he had to solve the riddle of the mermaids during the Triwizarding Tournament.

Once again Hermione deemed herself a fool. Yes, she had been able to surprise Malfoy once. Then a second time. But getting away unharmed a third time- her archenemy wasn't that daft.

It was also clear that her slytherinlike teasing- when did she become so snappy?- antagonized Malfoy to no end. Oh well, Malfoy, people who sit in glass houses… But all of her regret and anger wouldn't rescue her from her predicament and she, Hogwarts' model student, was going to miss the first day of the new school year.

Everyone would believe her excuse, if she told them about Malfoy hexing her, but if Malfoy was punished for this, he'd complain about the unjustified deduction and Snape would give Hermione a nasty mean detention for sure.

While she was thinking about her standoff, she heard a "_Finite Incantatem_!" and was pulled up to her feet immediately. "Neville?", she asked surprised, "What are you doing here?" Neville Longbottom at the prefects' bathroom?

"I... Malfoy…", Neville stuttered, "I got lost.", he finally admitted. Hermione learnt from his stammering that Malfoy must have spilled his poison again and Neville, a helpless victim, had been in his way. "Oh, ehm… thanks, Neville! I also got in the way of Malfoy!", Hermione confessed, so that Neville felt better. He smiled shyly. "Let's go to the Great Hall and have breakfast!", Hermione proposed and pulled him with her.

When she arrived there, Hermione saw Ron and Harry already sitting there, discussing with Ginny. Eventually they looked up and their faces lit with smiles. Hermione smiled, too, and turned her head towards the Slytherin table, where her gaze met Malfoy's. This disgusting guy looked at her more surprised than nauseated by her. A first.

Hermione gave him a glance full of hatred, before she and Neville sat down at Gryffindor table.

"Hey Hermione, where for Gryffindor's sake have you been? And what about you, Neville? McGonagall already distributed the schedules to us!", Harry shouted. Hermione sighed inwardly. "But look, she gave us yours as well…", Ron pulled out two pieces of parchment and assigned them to Neville and Hermione.

The latter gestured towards Ron and Harry, telling them not to ask about what had happened right now. She'd tell them during the next break in Herbology. Harry and Ron weren't going to laugh, Hermione knew that.

* * *

Draco usually got up early. Not because he didn't like sleeping, but if he got up late like Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle, he'd never have the time to go to the prefects' bathroom. And visiting this bathroom was definitely worth getting out of bed a few minutes earlier, if you didn't want to share the bathroom with _Crabbe and Goyle_ and the public. Ugh!

He was looking forward to it, because the bathroom fulfilled his standards of luxury. So Draco forged ahead. When he reached the door of the bathroom, he asked the portrait for entrance and said the password "Salix alba". But the mermaid told him that the bathroom was already engaged and then she disappeared. "Great", Draco murmured, "then I'll just wait."

He sat there about a quarter of an hour, but no one bothered to open the door or left the bathroom. Draco got up, hammered against the door and shouted angrily that he wanted to go in now.

After two more minutes, the door finally opened and Granger unsheathed her head to see who was waiting outside. Draco complained immediately: "Granger! I'm waiting here for…", but he didn't make it further.

He saw how her facial expression changing to a smile, which was quite atypical for a Gryffindor and she said loudly: "Ten points from Slytherin, because of loud and unmotivated yelling on the floor in the morning. That's annoying. And now, go wash the phlegm out of your fur, ferret!"

Draco decided to miss the part with the phlegm. But that she deducted points from _him_ like he used to do with everyone else and that was going too far. Now she'd regret her foolish words.

As if she read his thoughts, Granger wanted to storm off. But Draco turned around in a flash and managed to catch her robe and pulled her back. She stumbled backwards and Draco took the opportunity to push her against the wall. With one hand he clasped her throat and stopped her struggling and with his second hand he fished for his wand.

He jabbed the tip of his wand in her stomach, then he let go of her and stepped back, disgusted. What an experience, seeing the Gryffindor girl helpless, right in front of him. He wouldn't be Draco Malfoy, if he didn't take advantage of this.

So he petrified her and only saw her glace, which was full of hatred. This egged him on to insult her a little bit more. How cute, Draco thought, a tamed lion. Then he went to take his well- earned bath.

While playing with giant soap bubbles and swimming, Draco considered what to do with Granger, now that she was in his fishbowl.

He thought about her mien involuntarily, or rather her eyes. Had they been a wand, they'd most likely sprayed a splash of red sparks. And then there'd been the unbelievingly strong hatred in her eyes.

Not even Potter loathed him in such a way, Draco believed to know. Okay, he just insulted him "normally" and made jokes about Potter's stupidity, but to Hermione Granger, he'd always been very mean.

Suddenly he had an oppressive feeling which Draco had never felt before. He realized that somehow, he didn't want Granger to hate him so strongly.

Draco rose from the water. No, he didn't want to think about that any more. He couldn't care less what a Gryffindor- Mudblood thought about him. No, Muggleborn, he reprimanded himself. Will you ever be strong enough to resist the Dark Lord if you even don't have the discipline to ban this word from your vocabulary!

Draco exited the bathroom and for a second he felt the need to kick Granger. What the hell, he thought. He did, what he always did when he didn't understand his emotions or wasn't able to control them: he passed his displeasure to someone below him. At the moment, Granger was completely at the bottom.

So he renewed the Petrificus totalus- it was characteristic for the spell to wear off after a certain time-, bid Granger a good day and went to eat breakfast.

As if he hadn't seen enough Gryffindors for the whole day, he ran into clumsy Longbottom in the Entrance Hall, who opened a tremendous package. "Well, Longbottom, did granny send you all the stuff you've forgotten again? Tell me, slow coach.", Draco taunted and watched pleased that Longbottom dropped the package and his facial expression became very hectic."

Malfoy pulled out his wand and pondered how to hex the idiot when he remembered something else. "Ten points from Gryffindor, because it's _you_, Longbottom!", he snarled.

His opponent's face turned white and Longbottom escaped panic- fueled. Draco laughed maliciously and fired a few flashing hexes in the idiot's direction. It was Longbottom's luck that he didn't aim accurately so that he got away in the corridor unharmed.

Draco went to the Great Hall, quite pleased with himself. The day had started excellently: already kicked two Gryffindor- asses. He plopped down on the bench between Pansy and Goyle and helped himself with coffee. Just when he ended breakfast and wanted to go, he saw Granger and Idiot coming in.

What? She should be in the third corridor, lying around petrified, Draco wondered. He followed her with his eyes, surprised. Granger must've felt his gaze and she turned around to muster him disgustedly.

Before he could conjure a triumphal and sneering grimace- somehow it didn't work this time- Granger had turned back to her friends and sat down next to Potter and Weasel.

Draco felt the oppressive sensation again when he watched Granger's back. Ignored the feeling successfully, he got up- so did his followers- and a look at his schedule told him that he'd enjoy two granger- free hours Mugglestudies.

Yes, he, Draco Malfoy, enrolled in Mugglestudies. His mother insisted a few years ago. At once Draco realized why. She wanted him to know the other side, a different world, and make up his own mind, which was what Narcissa hadn't been allowed to do.

And what had he been doing, Draco questioned. He ran after his father blindfolded and repeated his opinion without thinking about it twice. Time to wake up! It was hard to admit, but it was Lucius Malfoy who was locked up in Askaban, but no member of the Order. Even if people like Remus Lupin certainly belonged there, Draco thought annoyed.

It was probably needless to mention that he just didn't like Lupin because he'd given him fair grades and didn't record an "O" in advance like Snape used to do, but only an "E". Then, it had rankled him endlessly. But the worst was that even Potter had been better than him.

Anyways, Draco summed up, he'd have to think about his attitude and admit that he'd been standing on the wrong side for all these years and that it would be opportune to join the winner's team, even if it was led by Potter and Dumbledore. A Malfoy never lost. Never.

Quite bored he listened to the teacher's explanation about the goals of this class. Yeah, yeah, yada- yada- yada, the same procedure as every year. Eventually class started and their teacher gave them a summary about the last fifty years in Muggle History.

There had also been a war, Draco realized and began to actually listen to the teacher. He taught them about group of people who had rune tattoos to acknowledge each other. These people had strange ideals somehow. Draco was surprised at first, why should be someone's appearance be of interest or something which was called "religion" and why this seemed to be the reason thousands of people were killed cruelly.

But then he realized the similarities to his own world and with an almost guilty expression he glanced at his still blank left forearm. Thank Merlin he decided against the Dark Mark.

All of a sudden he understood Granger. She'd grown up with the knowledge about such a war und was aware of what this hate towards supposedly different people could lead to. And wasn't it the same what the Dark Lord preached? That Purebloods were above Muggleborn, a fact which wasn't true at all- Granger was the prime example for this. And the Dark Lord needed violence to reach his goals, just like the Muggle leader did years ago.

Draco exhaled deeply. All over the years he was about to make the same mistakes as thousands of Muggles decades before him. The world didn't learn anything. Well, the Muggles maybe, but the wizards not at all, because they couldn't care less about the parallel existence. Like him, for example.

Draco had to think about this insight a lot; Millicent Bulstrode, a Slytherin from his year had to call his name thrice until he came back to the real world. "Draco! Lesson's over, now we've Potions with Gryffindor, hey, Draco!"

Sighing he rose and the Slytherins betook themselves to Snape's realm.

The Gryffindors were there already. Draco grinned evilly. They didn't dare coming too late, even if it were just two minutes, otherwise Snape deducted points from Gryffindor liberally.

Snape swept in and let them into the dungeon. After they took their regular seats, Snape announced balefully: "You'll brew a potion today, whose effects are very similar to _Amortentia_. It-" Snape broke off and cleared his throat.

Draco noticed that the reason was obviously Granger, who had raised her hand already and clearly wanted to finish Snape's explanation.

Snape's eyes didn't display his emotions when he hissed quietly: "I'm sure, Miss Granger, that your concerns are of such insignificance that you'll find the time to tell us all when I've finished my entry! Five points from Gryffindor for disturbing my class."

Draco saw, while joining the Slytherins' laughter, that Granger lowered her arm disappointed. He was glad Snape repressed her regularly, because he was afraid that she'd beat him even in Potions if there wasn't Snape to tick her off.

Snape continued. "Said potion possesses the characteristics that its steam mirrors the deepest desire of a human being. When the time is up, you should be able to see your most secret wish about 15 times in this room, thanks to _Specula anima_." He swung his wand and Draco watched the brewing instructions appear on the black board.

Snape apparently wanted to leave when he turned around again and saw the usual couples forming. Draco sensed a dire change when he noticed a sadistic smile in Snape's face. "Miss Granger!", he barked and the addressed flinched. "No, you won't work with Longbottom today. Finnigan, you take over this time."

Draco knew that Granger helped Idiot to get acceptable grades and Snape wanted to suppress this. "If you please, Miss Granger, there's a vacant seat in the first row. You'll work for yourself today."

Granger grabbed her bag and her kettle with a rather strained expression and moved to the front, where Draco sat, too. Unwillingly he made room for her. Before she started to brew the potion, she scrawled something on a little piece of parchment. Draco wanted to know what was on the parchment for all costs. "_Accio parchment_!", he whispered when Hermione finally got up and fetched her ingredients.

"_The mirror _Erised_ is similar to _Specula Anima_, look up! Mirror- what is incorporated in the reflecting surface- potion_?", Draco read. Which mirror did she mean, he wondered and flipped the note back to Granger's space. What did Granger plot again, in fact, what was she talking about?

Granger came back and surprised him for the second time that day: she popped his ingredients on the table and said in a low voice, but quite unkindly: "There, Malfoy. I brought yours as well, seeing that I went anyway." Draco just nodded. At least she was civilized. Partly.

"Granger", he started, seizing the opportunity, "What's that Mirror of Erised?" "How do you know about it?", Granger snapped. Draco just grinned. "You're such a… asshole, Malfoy. Don't touch my notes!", she hissed.

Draco understood that the talk was over and that he'd start brewing his potion soon. The others were already busy.

He dissipated his bay leaves, which had an intoxicating effect, when Goyle jostled him accidentally and all of the bay leaves together with the shepherd's purse fell into his boiling kettle. This of course didn't turn into the required pale green color but gleamed in a bright red.

"Goyle, you idiot!", Draco shouted enraged; now all the laborious work of almost an hour was for nothing. Who was the jerk who allowed Goyle in the NEWTs- classes?

And Granger? Her potion shimmered in a perfect shade of green.

Draco vanished his potion grumpily. "Granger", he began to speak again, "Goyle ruined my potion. Let me help with yours!", he commanded.

It wouldn't be easy, that was clear enough for Draco. Not after what had happened in the morning. But he'd convince her.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione couldn't believe what she heard. Who did this snotty, cocky bloke think he was? First of all he had the kindness to petrify her in front of the prefects' bathroom and insult her, then he read her notes and now he thought he could order her to share her good work with him?

"Is it my problem, if Snape allows such a fool in his class?", she answered condescendingly.

"Granger, _please_!", Malfoy said. Hermione raised an eyebrow and skillfully mimicked Malfoy's sneering style. She knew exactly that he knew, that if he hadn't a potion until the end of class today, Snape wouldn't get around giving him a "T". And that would throw Malfoy out of competition, if he competed with Hermione.

Of course he didn't want to be beaten by her, a Muggleborn. But Hermione unwillingly had to acknowledge Malfoy- that he even knew the word "please" was surprising.

"Okay, Malfoy. Draco. You can participate, but don't you dare botching my work!", she said. "And as long as we work together, you can call me Hermione and not Granger or Mudblood. Got it? And you owe me."

Malfoy looked at her somewhat friendly. "Okay, Gr-…, Hermione." Probably he was just glad that he wouldn't get a "T".

Together and, more important, quietly, they both continued working. At the end of the lesson the classroom was filled with foggy smoke, which rose from a few kettles. It seemed that about the half of the students were able to brew _Specula Anima_ correctly. At the others, the mist was more or less black. Luckily this potion didn't emit nauseating stench if brewed wrong.

Hermione was waiting excitedly. What would she see in the silvery steam? Persons or objects? Books? Ron, maybe?

But the potion still needed a few minutes cooking time until it mirrored someone's feelings.

"Well done, eh, Hermione.", Malfoy mumbled. Now it was her turn to nod at him.

The whole class remained silent and watched the vapor. Slowly some shapes formed and the silver changed its color to different tones.

Hermione proudly watched her potion. Finally Snape wouldn't deduct any points, she had really done a good job.

But then she grew stiff. The potion obviously formed its final shape. In the back, she could hear Lavender and Parvati's giggling already. Merlin, what guy were they seeing.

But she didn't feel like laughing. She turned around rapidly and stared at all other kettles. Each and every one showed the same picture. The person who sat next to her. Draco Malfoy. Appalled, Hermione squeaked. This was impossible, this couldn't be true, and she must have made a fatal mistake! It _had_ to be Ron!

But, on the other hand, it wasn't a mistake, because all other kettles showed her the same. Okay, then she hallucinated.

Vividly she slipped away from Malfoy, who was glued to the copy of his dreams. Her movement brought him back to reality, because the dreamy expression on his face disappeared immediately when he saw her.

"What's the matter, Granger?", he asked smugly, "Who or what do you see? A troll?" "Shut it, Malfoy!", Hermione choked out.

But sadly Snape had heard her comment. "Miss Granger.", he said self- pleased, "I don't see a kettle in front of you. Didn't I tell you to work on your _own_? Are you deaf? Well, you know what grad to expect, if you don't have a potion. By the way, well done, Draco!"

"But… but Professor, Sir, this potion is mine! I did it all alone-" "Be quiet, Miss Granger, I didn't ask for your opinion! Is there something you want to tell me, Draco?", Snape continued in a very sweetish tone and looked pointedly at Malfoy's empty kettle.

"No, Professor.", Malfoy said loud and clear. The Gryffindors protested, the Slytherins laughed. Hermione almost thought she misheard Malfoy. But the Slytherins' reaction proved her wrong.

"Draco Malfoy! You… you asshole!", she shouted, grabbed her bag and rushed out of the dungeons. "Detention and twenty points from Gryffindor!", Snape said oily, but Hermione didn't hear that any more.

She ran in the corridors until she found an alcove near the Ravenclaw tower and sat down to cry. Never Snape had been that unfair to her. He knew very well that it was Malfoy, who'd pleaded for help and not the other way round.

And Malfoy, that ferret, seized the opportunity and took credit for her effort. With an audacious lie. She hated him.

Hermione paused. Did she really hate him, when the potion told quite the opposite? "Ah, that stupid potion!", Hermione sobbed, "What does it know about reality?"

She heard someone approaching. "Hermione, is that you?", she heard a dreamy voice. Luna Lovegood. "Luna? Yes, it's me.", she answered.

Luna knelt down besides Hermione. "What happened?", she wanted to know. "Well, Malfoy and Snape..", Hermione murmured. "Oh, come on, Hermione. Don't let _them _bother you!", Luna quietly said.

Hermione remembered that Luna was a victim of mean jokes quite often by herself, which meant that she knew exactly how Hermione felt. "Thanks, Luna.", she whispered and got up to go to her common room.

But one thing she knew for sure. Malfoy would suffer for this, even if it was the last thing Hermione ever did.

* * *

Draco Malfoy however was on his way to his common room, too. Somehow he didn't understand himself anymore.

Only a few minutes ago he had managed to get along with Hermione Granger and sit with her at the same table peacefully. In a way he had even enjoyed sitting next to quiet and exceptionally not so smart- aleck Granger, when the potion cooked.

He'd looked at the silvery mist eagerly to find out as fast as possible what he could probably desire; after all he possessed everything he wished or wanted to have.

But what was facing him had been extremely unexpected and more so, extremely enraging. The steam of her kettle had shown him Hermione Granger, dressed in a ball gown. Presumably the dress she wore in fourth grade at Christmas, Draco pondered.

Why _her_? How could this know it all- Mud-, eh, Muggleborn girl possibly be his heart's desire? More likely Granger brewed the potion wrong and he'd get a bad grade, which was actually Granger's due.

And what if it was right? It couldn't be. A catty voice in Draco's head whispered that it was very obvious that it had to be Granger of all people: didn't he just establish that he could have everything? Well, of course that included the female half of Hogwarts.

But Hermione Granger was off limits, because she hated him profoundly. And that was why she was his desire. Yes, that had to be the reason.

Draco had realized all of this while was staring at the smoky picture of Hermione.

Only a squeak and a movement of Her-, eh, Gran-, eh Hermi-, eh, the _Mudblood_, damn it, had ended his consideration. Now he didn't even know any more how to call her.

But he covered up quickly when he noticed her panicking expression. "What's the matter, Granger? Who or what do you see?", he'd asked smugly. Had to be something really disgusting like the Weasel, measured by her reaction.

But then Snape had been coming and had reprimanded Granger, okay, Hermione, and cut her low. It had been completely unjustified, Draco noticed.

But at that moment he hadn't felt like defending _Granger_. Not if this vixen was the reason for an upcoming existential crisis. "… Is there something you want to tell me, Draco?", he'd heard Snape say.

"No, Professor.", Draco had answered not entirely correct and had looked strongly into Hermione's brown eyes.

If he had thought that she hated him when he left her petrified this morning, it was nothing compared to the glance she had now; it showed hatred and disappointment.

"Draco Malfoy! You… you asshole!", she'd shouted full with fury and fled from the dungeons. Her last words echoed in Draco's head. Somehow they hurt him.

Not that a girl hadn't said these words to him before. Actually these were exactly the words a girl screamed if she had found out that he'd just taken advantage of her and that Draco didn't even imagine in his dreams to continue or deepen the relationship.

But that Granger said these words to him, although she hadn't even seen the Slytherin dungeon on the inside, let alone his dormitory, made Draco angry.

And there was another reason for his reflectiveness. The empty dormitory seemed to be a lesser problem. Granger's words bothered him. The existential crisis sent its regards.

He, Draco Malfoy, king of the Slytherins, couldn't possibly feel sorry for a Muggleborn Gryffindor. A Malfoy didn't have some spare emotions, Death Eater or not.

The voice in his head started to talk again. If it was Draco's heart's desire, shouldn't he have any feelings?

Well, he did have feelings for Granger the first second he'd seen her. _Animosity and fierce hatred_, the voice whispered again.

"Damn it!", he swore- since he was able to speak he did this and it didn't damage his image, quite the opposite actually- and he deducted five points from a second year Hufflepuff, because he was in his way. Then he remembered something else. The Potions lesson. Didn't Granger make a note of that mirror? Draco turned on his heels and ran to the library.

He spent one hour with research about that _Mirror of Erised_, when he finally spotted a short chapter in "_Thousand magical objects of the last 1000 years_". Hastily he began reading.

"_One of the most mysterious objects, which were created in the modern time, is the 'Mirror of _Erised_, who doesn't show the viewer's copy but his heart's desire. The mirror had its first appearance 1497. Its history is mostly unexplored, because it vanished over and over. Presumably the owners of the mirror were aware of its danger and hid it._"

Draco paused. How could a ludicrous mirror be of danger? He continued reading.

"_Since 75 years the mirror stands in the ancient walls of Hogwarts. It was published that Nicolas Flamel and Albus Dumbledore once hid the _Sorcerer's Stone_ in the mirror. In this context it is also known that Harry Potter was the first and only person who was able to use the mirror as a mirror and didn't see the copy of his desire. Furthermore Albus Dumbledore's experimental researches showed that the mirror contains the trapped mist of the potion "_Specula Anima_", whereby this phenomenal appearance could be implemented…_"

Draco frowned. Potter and Dumbledore. Of course Granger knew that mirror. He shut the book. The Draco came to a decision.

If that mirror was still in Hogwarts, like the book said, the he had to find the mirror and look in it to find out his true desire, because it was impossible that it was Granger. She was incapable of brewing potions after all, it had to be like that.

_Ho- hum. We've been thus far_, the uninvited voice in his head answered. Oh, shut up, Draco thought angrily and made a plan how he'd find the mirror. In every free minute he'd send one of his cringers to look for the mirror. And while he had prefect duty, he could go searching, too. Anyway, who was interested in a few pupils, who were out of bed.

Draco left the library and went to the dungeons. There he met Pansy, who was having a conversation with Blaise at the moment. Well, she talked an Blaise just nodded desperately.

"Pansy", Draco cooed, "How about a meeting at North Tower at, let's say ten in the evening?" She'd come handy to block the thoughts about Granger out.

Pansy looked at him with big eyes and fell silent immediately. "But yes, Draco- dear! See you then!", she eventually answered. Blaise and Draco left a very ecstatic Pansy back in the corridor and entered the Slytherin common room.

Draco watched Blaise closely and noticed instantly, that the boy who was like a mate to him, had something on his mind. "What's the matter, Zabini?", he asked almost friendly.

"Well", Blaise was hemming and humming; obviously he felt uncomfortable in his own skin, "there' s a problem, Draco. Pansy just kept babbling for about half an hour with how great she thinks you are and how much she feels for you and, well, you know." Blaise grew more confident when he saw, that Draco just listened and didn't cut him off.

"And now, Draco, I've to tell you something. My opinion on… Pansy. She, eh, might not be the brightest, but I think it's true what she tells about her feelings for you." Blaise paused for moment, before continuing a bit louder: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself, when you treat Pansy like that? At least, she's honest feelings for you and you- you cheat on her instantly and take advantage of her every time! Just think about your strategies in relationships, Draco!", Blaise ended.

Draco looked at him in surprise, unable to say a word. "Yes, Draco, I'm serious. By now you've got the reputation once Sirius Black seemed to have. And- what I wanted to say to you since fourth grade, when the girls began…" Blaise was out of puff and breathed.

"It's fine, Zabini!", Draco waved his objection aside in a pretentious manner. What did his mate think he was? Was he jealous that Draco had so many affairs?

But unfortunately Blaise hadn't finished yet. "You know what, Draco Malfoy? I hope, you'll fall in love with such a know- it- all, prude bookworm like Granger and get rejected. Just so you know how you behave all the time!" With this he went and left a speechless Draco Malfoy.

And why, damn it, did Blaise refer to ranger of all? Draco's decision was made: he'd prove Blaise wrong. And Granger came just handy for that. He didn't have to _love_ her to get her. A Malfoy got them all.

* * *

Please let me know what you think of this story. My native language isn't English but German, so I'm not sure if my translation of my story is correct, or good, or whatever... I'd be really grateful if someone told me!

I mean, it just doesn't make sense to continue translating and updating, if it's bad...


	5. Chapter 5

After a few days Hermione's plan was fixed. Malfoy should pay for everything. For his pranks he played against Harry and Ron, he'd suffer as well. Now it was time for someone to show Malfoy his limits; limits were foreign to the Malfoy heir.

Hermione wasn't the brightest witch of her age for nothing. She just needed some time to construct a good strategy. The best would be to read at first.

She grabbed at her bookshelf next to her pulled out the unimpressive book she'd bought in Diagon Alley a few days ago. _Scriptum exsecrationem_ _et contrarii_ was written in small, squiggled letters on the spine. Book of the spells and counterspells. Perfect.

Hermione ran her hand over the book and opened it. It was Saturday, so she had a complete day to learn new spells. She took the book and went to an empty Charms classroom. No one would interrupt her there.

After practicing for a while, the door opened. Hermione somehow expected the ferret once again. But it was just Harry and Ron.

"Hermione!", Harry complained, "What are you doing here? Why didn't you tell us where you were going? We'd accompanied you. We had to look for you on the map."

Since the first day of the term when Malfoy had petrified and taken Hermione in, both of her best friends tried not to leave her out of sight.

"Want some little duel?", she asked them. "You're practicing for Malfoy?", Ron wanted to know. Hermione nodded. Harry got ready for a fight. Hermione smiled airily. Thanks to the countless DA- lessons she knew which spell Harry would cast first.

"_Expelliarmus_!", Harry shouted. "_Protego_!", Hermione countered. Harry was a very good opponent. She'd only won once or twice against him.

They fired spells to each other grimly, Hermione also tried some of the new ones she'd just learnt. After a while both were tired. "Stop!", Harry gasped and Hermione drooped her wand, exhausted. "You're good, Hermione!", Harry panted. She just managed a nod; she didn't have any more power.

She decided to call it a day for this time. There was some homework to do, too. When she went back to Gryffindor tower in a secret passageway with Ron and Harry, they just agreed upon a new DA- meeting when suddenly Malfoy and Parkinson appeared in the corridor.

Both seemed to be very busy with kissing each other. Hermione wanted to turn around tactfully and take another way, but Ron pulled out his wand and called "He, Malfoy!". The addressee and Pansy moved apart quickly. "Scarface, Weasel and the Mudblood!", Malfoy spat, while Pansy was running away.

Hermione saw red. "Careful, Malfoy. The next time I catch you and Parkinson in the castle, I'll deduct 50 points from you. And don't you dare hurting a Gryffindor. Because you'll pay for this.", she said fiercely.

Somehow she felt sorry for Pansy, but it was about their archenemy. And her heart's desire. Ugh.

"You heard what Hermione said.", Harry said, "Sod off!" Then he and Ron pushed Malfoy out of the way. Malfoy merely growled, but he didn't risk hexing one of them.

Hermione didn't move an inch. A strange way of desperation had caught her. Malfoy flattened his robe. Then he hissed: "Tonight, half past ten at Astronomy tower. Alone."

Hermione unfroze and ran after Harry and Ron. What did Malfoy want from her? A duel? That, he could shove up his ass. She wouldn't go and rather practice a bit more.

But the whole day she thought about his bargain. Eventually she told her friends about it, when they were sitting in the Great Hall for dinner. "Go!", Ron answered immediately, "You have every reason to take revenge on him and if you finish him, you'll be rid of this plague!" Hermione had known that Ron would react that way.

"Harry?", she asked. Harry nodded his head slowly. "I don't know.", he mumbled. "What if it is trap like in first grade again and he'll grass on you? You could lose your Head Girl badge.", Harry considered.

"No, I wouldn't, I have to patrol tonight anyway." "But then, be careful and Ron and I will accompany you. We'll use the Invisibility Cloak, just in case.", Harry deemed. Now there was only one person left she wanted to ask for an opinion: Ginny Weasley.

She dragged Ginny from the common room to the girls' dormitories and both plopped down on Hermione's bed. "Ginny, Malfoy 'invited' me to a meeting at Astronomy tower!", Hermione blurted out. "Harry, Ron and I believe that he wants to challenge me."

Hermione's friend looked at her doubtfully. "Malfoy?", Ginny repeated. "And, you, Harry and Ron!", she exclaimed. "What's wrong with us?", Hermione wanted to know. "You", Ginny ended lamely, "don't even have an idea what nocturnal meetings at the Astronomy tower mean."

Hermione looked at her, uncertain. "We don't?"

"Haven't you heard all the gossip?", Ginny suddenly laughed. "It is _the_ quiet, undisturbed place for couples, because none of the teachers or prefects bothers to climb up there. Come on, Hermione, put two and two together. It's been _Malfoy_ who asked you."

Philandering Malfoy, the scales fell from Hermione's eyes. How could she be so stupid? Just you wait, she thought, he'll be in trouble, no matter what Erised might have said. Who does this sleazeball think he is?!

Ginny chuckled. "You don't actually consider going, do you, Hermione?" "I will. He's so in it for a bad surprise.", Hermione said banefully. "I'll come with you, I'll hide under Harry's Invisibility Cloak.", Ginny decided.

"You'll have to share with Ron and Harry then."

* * *

Draco only saw Hermione during their common lessons and when he caught her eyes, he saw nothing more than disgust. He'd finally have to find that stupid mirror to find clarity. Until then, he'd never find peace.

After searching for one week, a Slytherin eventually found the mirror. Draco sent all the audience away. What an inventive hiding place for the mirror, he thought smugly. If it were as dangerous as it was described in "_Thousand magical objects of the last 1000 years", _then it was typically for Dumbledore to put it into an empty classroom.

Draco stepped closer to it and knocked against the frame. Yew tree timber, he acknowledged. This was very rare and no normal person used it to frame a mirror. Nonetheless, it looked beautiful. He felt an awkward prickle in his stomach when he touched the frame. He reached an engraving with his hand. Why was he afraid of looking into the mirror?

He looked at the engraving more closely and read the inscription. "_ERISED STRA EHRU OYT UBE CAFRU OYT ON WOHSI_", it said. There was no doubt what the mirror showed.

Draco braced himself and positioned himself in front of the mirror. At first, he only saw his own reflection and wanted to wave it aside. But then he saw the contours blurring and forming to Hermione's figure. With the mirror he was able to see her more clearly than in the steam of the potion. Hermione waved at him sadly. She seemed to say something and Draco pressed his ear to the reflecting surface, but everything stayed quiet.

After staring at the mirror for a very long time, lost in thoughts, he heard a loud bang and a loud gaggle. Peeves. Draco jumped up and dragged himself away. Now he understood the sentence about the mirror's danger: you easily became engrossed with it.

"Draaacy", it purred above his head and Draco behold Peeves, who hung in the air upside- down. "Peeves!", he hissed. How did the ghost know how Pansy used to call him very intimate hours? "Do you spy on me?", he spat angrily. "But Draaaco- dear! I'd never do that!", the ghost mocked him. Then he dropped a few water balloons on Draco's head and hovered away laughing loudly.

Draco shuddered because of the cold unasked shower and dried himself with his wand.

So it really was Granger who was his heart's desire. And she obviously brewed the potion correctly. Draco realized that it would be more than useless if he fretted about it. Malfoys weren't quick to anger so easily. But all of this didn't mean that he had to accept it.

Speaking of Granger. He still had to prove Blaise wrong. Well, if he ran into her, he'd convince her to meet him…

But Draco wasn't lucky for the next few days. It almost seemed like the Gryffindor avoided him. Despite he searched for her in the whole castle, sometimes accompanied by Blaise, who quite enjoyed himself. At Saturday however, Pansy followed hard his heels.

Maybe he shouldn't have gotten up her hopes during their nocturnal encounter on the tower. Or Pansy misinterpreted some random comments. That was more likely. But today she was allowed to accompany him, exceptionally.

How Potter always knew exactly where to find him, if he thought of himself as undetectable, Draco wondered. A mystery he'd elicit from Granger maybe, if he got her so far.

Draco dragged Pansy through all of the secret passageways around the Gryffindor tower until she began to struggle. "Draco! What is this about? You drag me crisscross through the castle, without any plan! Let's just…", but Draco cut her off by pulling her towards him and kissing her. That would seal her mouth, he hoped. And he wasn't on the way to find a quiet little place with Pansy, even though she seemed to believe that… although…

"He, Malfoy!", a voice disrupted his and Pansy's doing and he flinched and let go of Pansy. Before he thought twice about it, the usual insults had left his lips: "Scarface, Weasel and the Mudblood!"

He noticed that Potter and Weasley positioned themselves protectively around Granger. When he didn't move in front of Pansy, she escaped without further ado.

Now Granger started talking and abused her Head Girl's privilege again. She really hated him. But as long as she didn't give Potter and Weasel no signal, they wouldn't attack him. Granger wasn't Weasley and Potter's external brain for nothing.

Growling he had to accept the Gryffindor boys pushing him away and disappearing in the passageway. Now he faced Granger. Well, enraged as she was at the moment, she'd rather slap him if he approached her. So he just said: "Tonight, half past ten at Astronomy tower. Alone." Until then she'd have calmed again, he hoped.

Granger didn't respond, he just saw her confused expression. Now Draco was surprised, too. Didn't she get what he wanted to say? Maybe not, he concluded, when she moved and ran after Potter and Weasel. Never a girl had left him without a comment after he'd convinced her to meet him. But Granger wasn't the most representative girl.

Draco went back to the Slytherin dungeon with his nose up in the air. He had to tell Blaise something very important.

A few hours later he felt a strange, weird nervousness. He barely ate dinner and thought about Granger nonstop. He'd meet her tonight. Would she have enough courage to prowl around? Tut, she, the weasel and Potter, that fact was widely known, did that all the time. Why they got hardly caught, was a marvel to Draco. With Weasley's stupidity they just had to stumble into Filch's waiting arms…

At ten he finally forged ahead. You had to allow extra time to avoid the other prefects and the teachers. At the bottom of the Astronomy tower Draco gasped relieved and scaled the steps. When he arrived at the top, he saw Granger leaning against the balustrade, facing him.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed reading! Please let me know what you think. :)


	6. Chapter 6

Hey, thanks for reading my story. :) I'm glad that there are at least some guys who read my FF. :D

* * *

For the rest of the evening, Hermione sat on a couch next to the fireplace. With a grim mien, she continued to read in her _Scriptum exsecrationem et contrarii_ to be as prepared as she could possibly be. Moreover, the book was really impressive and fascinating because the Dark Arts were described precisely.

At ten o'clock she nodded at Ginny, who rolled secretly a few stink bombs into the common room, where Hermione made them bust with a little explosion spell. This was the most established method to empty the common room. Their classmates left the room grumbling.

Ginny, Harry and Ron ducked under Harry's invisibility cloak while Hermione was going to fulfill her "prefect duties" as she explained the portrait of the Fat Lady who was fussing over Hermione, because she wanted to leave the tower at a very late hour.

The four pupils scurried towards the Astronomy Tower. Fortunately they didn't meet a soul, not even Mrs Norris, Filch's spying cat. When they had been arriving, they noticed that Malfoy was late.

"If you can't handle him anymore, we'll attack him!", Harry whispered. "Yeah, but now you'll go hiding. Otherwise he'll notice your feet or hears you.", Hermione answered quietly. At the moment they couldn't do more than wait. She leaned against the balustrade casually, hiding her wand behind her back.

After a few minutes they heard steps and finally Malfoy arrived. Hermione gasped. He didn't wear his usual school uniform like Hermione, but had perked himself up. Hermione remembered what Ginny had told her before. She shivered disgustedly. Or did she feel cold? Hermione didn't know. The only important thing was that Malfoy approached her.

"So why did you request my presence up here, Malfoy?", she coldly asked. "I should deduct points from you for your presumptuousness.", she blurted out. "Alas, Granger, don't you try to fool me.", Malfoy said softly, "You and your friends, you always prowl around in the castle at night." Hermione had never heard this tone before. Ginny was right. Malfoy wanted to seduce her.

He stepped even closer to her and whispered her given name. Oh Malfoy, it's your bad luck that you crossed the line of my individual distance, Hermione thought and asked herself if it should matter to her at all. Half of Hogwart's residents dreamt of the situation she was in at the moment. Malfoy extended his hand to touch her. But this just overdid it. Hermione screamed the first thing she could remember. "_Sectumsempra_!" Malfoy could peg out balefully for all she cared right now. The Dark Arts seemed to get to her… But Malfoy ripped out his wand with a fulgurous movement and defended himself with a _Protego_. "No!", he gasped.

Hermione saw him stumbling back and rising his hands in defense. Damn coward. „_Stupor_! _Impedimenta_! _Petrificus Totalus_! _Confringo_! _Expelliarmus_! _Expulso_! ", Hermione shouted angrily.

Malfoy, caught by surprise, bent down to his knees and barely managed to keep off all spells. "Granger!", he panted, "What are you doing? I didn't want- _Protego!_- to harm you!" Hermione stared down at him furiously. "Stand up, ferret", she told him, "I don't fight against you when you're lying on the ground." But Malfoy stayed where he was.

"Just tell me, Granger", he said when he had gained his breath, "What did you think why I wanted to meet you here!" When he got up, Hermione really answered his question. "I thought you wanted to duel me- that I'm attacked immediately wasn't what I expected." Malfoy gawked.

He shook his head unbelievingly. "Granger, I thought you'd be more intelligent. You as a Head Girl!", he laughed at her face and warded off her assault with a detour of his wand. Hermione was mad. He was such an arrogant jerk!

„_Incarcerus_, _Fiendfyre incendio_!", she lividly shouted without taking care of her own cover. Malfoy's curse made her stumble, he didn't aim correctly. But her hexes were tearing him to the ground despite his protective shield and a gigantic explosive flame darted over his head. His smirk had disappeared from his face, Hermione noticed satisfied. But then she noticed what spell she had used in the heat of the moment and she paled. She shouldn't have read that book. Shouldn't have been so fascinated by the Dark Magic.

Malfoy regained his balance, saw her whitened and interpreted it obviously wrong. He said snidely: "Didn't Potter tell you, Granger, that you have to mean a spell of the Dark Arts, if you pronounce one? He's already had his Crutiatus- lesson with Aunt Bellatrix!" Now he attacked Hermione and she was pushed back. Before she was being able to turn the tide- and she knew she could do that- she heard a murmur and Malfoy collapsed.

Ron rushed out and hugged Hermione. "Ron? What did you do? I would have taken care of him!", Hermione said surprised. "So what? It didn't look like that.", Ron answered, being insensitive again. "It doesn't matter right now.", Ginny decided, who stepped out with Harry. "What are we going to do with him? Ron, this was a first class _Stupor_.", she said. "I know something…", Hermione muttered.

Two minutes later Malfoy was revitalized with an _Enervate_ and paralyzed with a _Petrificus totalus_. So he'd notice everything. Harry, Ginny and Ron kept themselves in the background while Hermione was talking to her archenemy. She bent down to him. "Malfoy, Malfoy. Yeah, it's me, the mudblood, saying your name. Are you ever going to learn that you can't win against me, you arrogant… Well. And if you have the need to be with women, then you can go to Pansy. She doesn't seem to be disaffected by you.", Hermione said unctuously. "For now: good bye. Maybe I'll send Dobby to you tomorrow or you'll be lucky and another couple appears and frees you."

She rose and went away, but not forgetting to kick him in his side. "May I, too?", Harry whispered, who remembered his broken nose. But Ginny dragged him away from Malfoy. "Don't, it's Hermione's fight."

They squeezed themselves under the invisibility cloak and ran towards the Gryffindor Tower.

After arriving in her dormitory, Hermione's sense of triumph slowly faded. In fact, she felt rather foolish, having left Malfoy up there, even if he had done the same to her not so long ago. Furthermore she'd tried to use a spell of the Dark Arts on him; she could be happy that the hex didn't work at all. Well, as soon as she rose in the morning, she'd free Malfoy. Besides, she knew too well why the spell hadn't worked… _heart's desire_. If she loved him secretly as the potion had told her, she wasn't able to mean the spell.

* * *

For the first time in his life Draco noticed that Hermione Granger wasn't the beaver- toothed ugly duckling anymore, which he'd taunted endlessly because of this. No, she'd become nice, pretty even if you chose to take a closer look. He wondered whether Potter and Weasel noticed that as well. Surely they hadn't, they were too stupid to recognize a cute girl, who ran around with them every day. They weren't even able to think on their own.

He approached Granger, who held one arm behind her back, likely to cling to the balustrade. Draco disposed an accurate strategy how to bewitch her in the way possible.

First of all: use her given name, even if he didn't like it: girls hated it, if you addressed them with their surname and Granger was no exception here- he just had to remember the Potions class.

Second: take her by surprise, so that she didn't have the opportunity to think and pipe up.

Third: she had appeared to the meeting, after all. This meant that she could hardly resist him, despite everything what had happened. He'd have to take advantage of this.

Hermione Granger wouldn't be lulled as easily as other girls.

But first things first. After their usual banter he carefully stepped closer to her. Pansy would have already kissed him senseless. Say her name. Number two: extend hand and touch her face, so that he could pull her to him and then… he saw a very fast movement of… Hermione.

"_Protego_!", he groaned, as soon as he got a grip on his wand. He limpingly managed to defend himself. The Sectumsempra- spell seemed to be the favorite curse of the Gryffindor trio: last year Potter, now Hermione.

Before he was able to defend herself, _Granger _fired a loaf of curses towards him, which he barely managed to fend off. She was really good. Now she let him get up. Gryffindor, typical. Only fight at eye level. He'd have taken the advantage without even blinking.

Draco thought that he'd been wrong with his third point, obviously. Either she couldn't withdraw his charms or she was a completely maniac, who used to attack her dates. No surprise that he hadn't seen Granger with anyone else than Potter and Weasley. They were just as crazy.

Draco suppressed a laugh, before he said to her: "Granger, tell me, what did you believe why I wanted to meet with you up here?" He was surprised, when she actually answered and he really had to suppress an un-malfoyish laugh. Duelling? With him? On top of the Astronomy Tower? Was Granger really that insane?

Then something happened he hadn't expected at all. Hermione used a curse, Dark magic, the one for Fiendfyre. He could just fight it back, but he stumbled back anyways. She was a Gryffindor! His smile disappeared. She had to be really pissed off because of him.

Draco saw her face paling. He figured that was because her spell had failed. Pale cheeks lokked nice on her, Draco noticed. Quite slytherin. When Draco told her that Potter also had used Dark magic, trying to hex his (disgusting) aunt with the Cruciatus curse, she froze.

So Potter wasn't the saint she believed him to be, was he? The thought made Draco recover quickly and he started to fight back so that Granger had now to defend herself. She wasn't capable of spelling him anymore, only sometimes she tried some curses. But one of them must've hit Draco, he realized, when he suddenly fell back and everything went blank.

The next thing he noticed were a few different voices, but it was only Granger and himself on the tower, right? Then he heard someone saying a spell with a loud voice and he felt his limbs snapping together, stunned. The whole body-bind, Draco thought foggy-brained. He saw through half-closed lids that Hermione bent down next to him and telling him something. He didn't understand what she said exactly, but the most obvious thing got clear enough.

Granger would leave him here. Then she kicked him in his side, very hard. If he had been able to, Draco would have let out a cry of pain. That the _mudblood_ was strong enough, he already knew.

After a very long time of just lying around, Draco's brain cleared und he was able to think straight again. But nothing more. That was the problem. Damn bitch Granger. How long would it take to find him here? Today was Saturday, so the next Astronomy class would come Monday in the evening.

Draco remembered a muggle-saying: what goes around, comes around. He shouldn't be too surprised, if Hermione turned the tables and gave him a taste of his own medicine.

_And you really deserved it_, a voice told him inside his head, _after you wanted to humiliate her to amuse Blaise and Slytherin, as soon as you would have gotten what you wanted. _Draco fought a battle inside his head. At the moment, his newly found conscience won. _Besides, you know exactly what _Nergeheb_ had shown you earlier. Don't use Blaise as an excuse. It is _you_ who wants to get to know her better. And get rid of Pansy, you don't like her anyways_!

But I can't fancy Mudblood Granger, Blaise's wish can't have come true! _Well, Blaise knows you better than you know yourself – even as kids he did. So get a grip and play nice with her, then you'll get your chance. But being a slimy ferret won't get you close to _Hermione. Draco wanted to get rid of these thoughts. Malfoys didn't have feelings. The mirror, however, told him otherwise.

Draco didn't fall asleep in this uncomfortable position, so his inner conflict got worse and worse. If he lived his life like a Malfoy, he'd pay his tributes to his name. But he also knew that no one else than Hermione could make him happy, if Specula Anima was right.

If he listened to the mirror – and Draco refused to substitute "mirror" with "heart", he'd have to forget about his inheritance, Malfoy Manor, money, reputation, everything. And it wasn't even granted that Gran-, Hermione liked him – and he made himself a fool in front of Hogwarts. If it had been Pansy, he'd be certain that she'd follow him.

A few hours later Draco must've dozen off, despite his eyes being only half-closed. A hard blow against his shoulder woke him up way too soon. Groaning, he grabbed the throbbing area and opened his eyes. The first thing that came into his view was Hermione Granger, her wand aimed at him.

"Sod off!", he mumbled tiredly. "I just removed the Full Body-Bind Curse from you, Malfoy. I can undo that, if you like.", she nagged. "NO!", Draco squeaked horrified, coughed and stood up. Hermione extended her hand with his wand in it. She must have found it somewhere on top of the tower.

Holy crap, he squeaked like a girl. He wasn't in his change of voice anymore; it was more the fault of the curse, which had also stunned his vocal cords.

"Hey, Malfoy. I'm sorry. Yesterday… ähm, I shouldn't have left you here like that. That wasn't okay. So… I'm sorry.", he heard Hermione apologize and hardly believed this. The Gryffindor girl really _apologized_. Draco nodded.

_Talk to her, Merlin damnit, _the voice in his head screamed.

"So, ähm", Draco started to say and slapped himself inwardly: could he have said something more unintelligent? He continued: "Well, ähm, I didn't want that, either, you know…" Good job, Draco. There's no way you could have said it in a more stupid way. Surely she takes you for an idiot now. He looked at her quizzically. But Hermione just smiled slightly and said: "It's alright, Malfoy. You don't have to apologize." Draco paused. Yeah, well, he had just apologized for wanting to kiss her. No! He still wanted to! No, he didn't want to, he was a Malfoy! And Malfoys didn't apologize. Ever.

His expression turned to his usual mask again. "Ah, I see, you're more normal now, ferret.", Hermione said, friendly almost, and made her way down the stairs. Malfoy watched her moving away. Not that there was much to see of her figure under that robe, he just did it out of habit. "He, Gran-, Hermione, wait!", he called.

No. He didn't call after her. A Malfoy was too proud to run after a muggleborn. But somehow he wanted to. I'm going crazy, this compulsory break didn't do anything good to my mind, Draco thought.

Then he realized that he should probably get to his common room as fast as humanly possible, because entering the tower for non-educational reasons was strictly prohibited. And his way back he shouldn't be caught either. It was only half past seven in the morning, so he better hurried towards his dormitory unseen.

* * *

A/N: If you've read so far, I'd like to ask you for a review. I hope you don't mistake this as begging, and none of you is my English teacher. But usually I am very unsure... I often don't know which past tense to use? I want to translate it correctly; also the structure of sentences can be much more complicated in German, so it's quite a work to transfer it into English. MS Word only criticizes a few things - doesn't mean it has to be right, though. You see, I'd really appreciate some feedback to improve myself. So I just want to know whether it's... "readable" for you. ;)

Yeah, well, thanks for reading anyway. :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione rushed down the stairs from the Astronomy Tower and tried to get back to Gryffindor as fast as possible. Even she wasn't allowed to stray in Hogwarts. But the danger of getting caught was not the worst case – her guilty conscience, which taunted her through the whole night, was worse.

She just couldn't leave a student – even if it was Draco Malfoy himself – behind at some Tower, completely defenseless. She was head girl after all. So she had risen earlier than usual to free Malfoy from his predicament. Besides, he'd have tattled her, if someone else had had found him.

Malfoy might have been nice for once. That he even knew how to apologize still surprised Hermione. Or he'd just been too scatty, which was an aftermath of the curse. Hermione still didn't understand how he could possibly be her match, her heart's desire.

Especially because he tried to win her over so sneakily. Furthermore, Hermione had seen him snogging Pansy. Her first, a few hours later me, sure, Malfoy. Look for your bimbos somewhere else, Hermione thought slightly pissed off. Poor Parkinson. Surely she didn't realize what Malfoy was doing.

When she entered her common room, Ginny was already waiting for her. As soon as she'd climbed in, Ginny grabbed her and pulled a very puzzled Hermione towards an empty lounge. "Hermione, we have to talk!", Hermione's friend said. "What is it about?" "Oh, Hermione, guess about what. It's about yesterday." "Oh, well, that.", Hermione laughed, "I've freed Malfoy already, don't worry about that."

"No, it's not _that_.", Ginny answered patiently. "I think of something different. If it was about me, I'd let him die up there. But it's about you and him!" Hermione stared at Ginny. "Ginny?", she murmured.

"Don't play dumb, Hermione. Don't tell me you didn't see Malfoy's expression when he looked at you and wanted to touch you!" "Why, yes, he looked like he always does.", Hermione replied and shook herself.

"He looked at you like Harry looks at me. And lately Harry looks at me as if I was somewhat out of reach…", Ginny went on without listening to Hermione. Hermione's eyes went wide. "No! We're talking about Malfoy here!", she hissed. "Precisely!", Ginny answered. "That's why I want to talk to you! But Hermione, you also should have seen _your_ face. It was like you wanted to actually to respond to him, that's what it looked like."

"No!", Hermione shouted a little bit too fast and too loud. Ginny examined her contently. "Ginny!" Ron's sister had a sixth sense for stuff like that. But she couldn't possibly know what Hermione had thought yesterday, before she had attacked Malfoy. And Ginny also didn't know what Specula Anima had shown Hermione.

"My educated guess would be that you two fell in love with each other. And nobody admits it.", Ginny declared without mercy. Hermione blushed involuntarily. "No, we haven't!", she said disgustedly. But her friend just didn't stop smiling. "Harry… Ron… Don't tell them about your horrendous assumptions.", Hermione whispered. "Oh Merlin, you know both of them. They don't even get the broadest hint. I will never lose a word about this.", Ginny promised. Hermione nodded gratefully.

Ginny's assumption really didn't help Hermione's salvation. Quite the opposite in fact. She swore to herself that from now on, she'd fight Malfoy even more grimly, like some nasty plague of insects. Ron and Harry, she knew, would assist her in any way possible. Because they hated Malfoy just as fierce as she did.

During the day Hermione thought of a new plan when she heard that Malfoy had deducted points from Gryffindor again. She found it easy to find out when Malfoy had to do his prefect duties and patrol the floors. This was the time when he was the most vulnerable. First, because he didn't expect an attack. Second, because he patrolled alone and not with his stupid sidekicks. That is, if he didn't spend the time with Parkinson, but that would cost him 50 points.

Two weeks after her talk to Ginny, Hermione rushed to Professor McGonagall's office with some flimsy reasons. She knew that Malfoy had to appear there because of his prefect duty; McGonagall would tell him which floors to patrol.

Hermione talked to McGonagall about the upcoming Halloween-party Hermione helped to organize, when they heard a knock on the door and saw Malfoy stepping in. "Good evening, Professor.", he politely said. "Granger.", he added, snidely as usual. "Mr Malfoy, I recommend you watch your tongue!", McGonagall hissed. Hermione grinned gleefully. "Miss Granger, you are free to go; Mr Malfoy, you'll be patrolling the northern part of the castle, including Astronomy and Gryffindor Tower. And be warned, if there are any complaints…"

Hermione quickly waved at her professor and disappeared. McGonagall's preachment for Malfoy really wasn't anything she was interested in. If Malfoy had to walk around in the northern part, he'd have to pass the statue of the one-eyed, hump-backed witch, where the passage to Hogsmeade began. Hermione would wait there, because the hole in the statue offered a perfect place to hide in. Only Harry, Ron and his brothers knew the secret passage.

"_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_.", Hermione whispered and uncoiled the Marauder's Map. Without being seen, Hermione reached the One-eyed Witch. "_Dissendium_", she said quietly and tapped at the statue. The back opened and Hermione slid in. She closed the entrance, but so she still could see what was happening outside.

She produced her little Galleon, which was used to summon all the DA-members. If she was right, Malfoy owed them all – by his sellout to Umbridgde. Hermione had to be patient for about an hour when the dot, which was labeled "Draco Malfoy", slowly approached her hiding place. Time to act.

She tapped at her Galleon and let the DA-members know that their help was needed at the statue of the one-eyed witch. Then she looked outside. Aha! Malfoy sauntered towards her. He seemed to consider himself unobserved; so he didn't act like a complete jerk and didn't prance. Hermione smirked to herself and pushed the tip of her wand through the gap. "_Aguamenti_!", she whispered and a jet of water squirted out of her wand. A great puddle formed on the floor.

* * *

Draco looked at his watch. Oh, half past eight already. It was time to go to McGonagall's office. If he was late, the old witch – literally meant – began to bitch in a way he just couldn't stand. "Ciao!", me mumbled and left his common room.

When he arrived at the office, he knocked and stepped in. Hermione Granger was already there. She looked at him in a very snobbish way, so he decided to greet her snidely. He shouldn't have, because McGonagall took the opportunity to sermonize. Granger immediately made her way out, throwing him a very spiteful glance.

Why couldn't she look at him in a very enarmoured way like every normal girl would do? This would ease his crappy situation a lot. He could go out with her, just a few times, and get to know her better, before he could decide either for Hermione or for his ancestry. But she didn't make it that easy for him.

And his mother, who had written a letter a few days ago, had been no help at all. For once he'd have needed his parents' advice, and what had come back? Draco recited from his memory; he'd read this letter so many times:

"_Dear Draco,_

_Thank you, I'm fine. The Manor hasn't fallen yet, I won't let it happen that the Deatheaters capture your home and my home. I truly hope, Draco, that you didn't forget our talk a few weeks ago and that you think about it. You're in Hogwarts now, so you're out of reach. So – _carpe diem_!_

_Even though I'm your mother, you don't know my very own history. Draco, my parents, married me, a Black, to Lucius Malfoy without even asking me. To protect our bloodline, they said, despite my own feelings. I felt nothing for Lucius at first. I never had the choice, I wasn't allowed to decide, what I wanted. Back then, this was normal. But now, you can make decisions on your own!_

_But you have to know: if you 'stay' a Malfoy, you know what you will get. But what you could lose with this decision, you won't forget for your lifetime. There is one thing you can be sure about, Draco: I'll respect every decision you'll make, no matter what. You know that you don't have to be Lucius…"_

"Mr Malfoy! Are you even listening?", McGonagall shouted and Draco flinched. "Of course, Professor. I'll patrol the northern wing and both towers." "Next time, I'll deduct points from you, Mr Malfoy, and you'll get detention. Handle your duties assiduously in the future!" Draco nodded and left her office.

He watched the portraits at the walls, bored to death. He was angry with his mother. Nice to have her blessings, but that didn't really help him. Actually, everything was Snape's fault. He must have known that he'd conjure al lot of trouble with that stupid potion.

Draco went to fifth floor, where an unbelievingly ugly statue had been planted. Without anything particular in mind, he stared at the portraits. A knight with a very fat pony gestured with his sword, right in front of Draco's nose, when his feet were pulled away suddenly. Draco flailed his arm and landed right in the middle of a really big puddle.

"Shit!", he cursed, when he got up slowly und looked around suspiciously. The water… he could have sworn that it hadn't been there when he had entered the floor. He just recognized that strange statue, when the knight in the picture began to laugh full-throated because of him. Draco turned around angrily.

But before he was able to tell the ridiculous knight to get lost and dry his clothes, his legs started to twitch. He noticed that he'd been hit by a Tarantallegra-curse. Now he was forced to dance in the water puddle like an imbecile. Where was his attacker?

Draco was unable to get his wand out of his pocket and end this spell. Now he could hear steps and the floor filled with pupils. Angry pupils. Led by Potter and Weasley. Behind them he saw the small Weasley, Finnigan, Thomas, Luma Lovegood, his ex-girlfriend Cho Chang, Longbottom, a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws and half of Gryffindor, it seemed. Everybody he had ever bullied. Only Granger was missing. Hermione.

"_Finite_!", a voice behind Draco said and his legs stopped immediately. Exhausted, he had to take a second bath in the puddle.

"What do you want?", he asked weakly, when he noticed that it was DA he was facing right now. "Malfoy!", Hermione called him and Draco turned around slowly. He could almost feel her distaste. "It was you!", he hissed. She nodded.

"Remember, I promised that you'd regret it, if you ever deducted points from us without any reason.", Hermione shouted furiously. "You have to leave us alone! Go to Slytherin and poisen the air there, but leave us alone! You have the choice, right here and right now: either you stop, or I'll turn you into a ferret again!"

Draco saw angry faces. He'd sold them out for a little bit of power during Umbridge's period. For ideals, which didn't mean anything to him anymore. He felt something like regret. Only a little bit. It was Potter, after all. "I don't really have a choice.", he finally said. Potter laughed. "A wise decision, Malfoy, and now get lost, or you'll regret it, like Hermione said."

The horde of pupils turned around and went away, leaving Draco thoughtful and wet behind. Granger's, Hermione's doing. Hogwarts stuck together, he noticed. Even if Potter and his DA would never hex him – Draco was sure of that; after all, it were a lot of Gryffindors – they'd demonstrated quite impressively, that he was unwanted here. But somehow it was his own fault. Somehow.

He rose his head and looked into Hermione's brown eyes. He shivered a little bit. It was slightly… weird and unfamiliar, if she looked at him like that. Besides, his knees felt weak. "You planned all that, didn't you?", he asked in his usual arrogant tone. "I didn't want to, but you gave me no choice, Draco Malfoy.", Hermione said with a neutral voice. "And beware… ", she whispered, before turning and disappearing.

Draco watched her go. That girl did have a temper and a brain, he'd give her that. Draco dried his clothes and continued with his prefect duties as if nothing had happened. Before that, however, he examined that ugly statue. But he couldn't find anything wrong with it.

* * *

I've decided to continue translating. After all, there are a lot people reading this story - so it can't be _that_ bad, can it? But mostly because it's fun to translate. :D


	8. Chapter 8

Guest: thank you for your review!

And also thanks to potterhead27, Will love ever come and 97, who added this story to their Favos/Alerts :)

I'm glad some people like the story. So, here's the next chapter for you:

* * *

Hermione didn't feel happier, just because she'd shown Malfoy his limits. But this was exactly what she had always wanted! Somehow, she almost felt sorry for Malfoy.

But there was still a border Malfoy crossed constantly. He not only had been insulting her friends – hopefully he'd stop now – no, he thought no end of himself and truly believed that he was the best Quidditch player at school. But he wasn't. Harry was.

Now she'd help Harry to get rid of Malfoy, because Gryffindor had to play against Slytherin in a few days. Malfoy shouldn't have the opportunity swagger around as if he was Merlin himself.

One day before the Quidditch game she saw Malfoy sitting and eating breakfast, chest puffed with pride. Hermione almost puked when she saw him. At least her stomach did some strange somersaults, which it normally didn't do.

Hermione had thought about Malfoy for days – how could she hold him off Quidditch? But she had no solution for her problem. Today, Snape helped her out unexpectedly. He obviously believed, that it was his teacher's deed to pair up students from time to time. For some stupid reason Hermione was paired with a few Slytherins and Malfoy and had to sit with them in the first row.

Now it was her occasion to avenge her "T" in Potions, which she'd earned in her first week back at school. Today, the perfect opportunity was offered to take Malfoy out.

Malfoy seemed to play the gentleman today, because he got up voluntarily and fetched the ingredients on his own. Hermione grabbed a small vial from her robe, filled with crocodile tears. She uncorked it and dribbled a few drops in Malfoy's kettle. He wouldn't notice this, the tears were transparent.

Her archenemy and heart's desire came back from the supply cupboard and placed the ingredients in front of Hermione. "Thanks!", she automatically said and smiled as friendly as she could muster. Malfoy seemed pretty perplexed. Good for her, if he didn't pay attention.

Hermione brew her potions as outstanding as ever. Next to her, Malfoy tried to no purpose. His potion never shone the way it was supposed to shine and even more, it stank nauseously. Hermione avoided glancing towards him; otherwise, she feared, she might have laughed uncontrollably.

She was finished and gave Snape an example of her perfect potion, when she went back to her table to fetch her satchel – before Malfoy would add his flubberworms. Malfoy still tried and Hermione grinned gleefully. She reached for her bag to put in a safe place, when Malfoy decided to throw his crushed flubberworms in his kettle.

Phlegm of flubberworms and crocodile tears react high-explosive.

Malfoy's kettle exploded and both he and Hermione, who still stood right next to him, were covered in stinky, boiling concoction. The whole class screamed; loudest of all Hermione and Malfoy, who were burnt everywhere.

Snape rushed towards them and saw his favorite student and Hermione Granger completely smudged with some mixture, crying out loud with pain. "Weasley, bring these two to Madam Pomfrey!", he commanded and Ron pushed his friend and Malfoy outside to lead them to the hospital wing.

Hermione had seen it coming, in slow motion, when the pieces of the flubberworm had been falling. The worst feeling of all had been to see this and not being able to do anything against it.

And now she lay right next to Malfoy in the hospital wing and was about to find out that she had to stay two long days. Madame Pomfrey thought her burns to be quite severe.

"Malfoy!", Hermione said and turned her head to look him in the eyes, "Can't you take care of what you're doing? With potions you're even worse than Neville!" That it had been her fault, Hermione forgot deliberately.

"Hey!", Malfoy complained immediately, "I honestly don't know what happened today. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I used some wrong ingredients." "Don't be so snotty, just admit it, Malfoy, it was _you_, who screwed it up.", Hermione continued to taunt. "I told you, it wasn't my fault!", Malfoy exclaimed.

"You know what, Malfoy?", Hermione asked after a while, "I think we're even now. After all, you'll earn a 'T' as well."

She heard him pant for air. "It was your fault!", he burst out wrathfully. "Oh, shut up, Malfoy, I want to sleep.", Hermione answered nastily.

She closed her eyes, but she still felt Malfoys glance. She pulled her blanket up a bit, automatically. Her thoughts drifted away. Oh, Malfoy… now his good looks were ruined. If he really had kissed her back then at the Astronomy Tower… how it would have felt like, Hermione wondered. What are you thinking? Stop it immediately, she thought ashamed.

Right now Malfoy had crossed another border. Because- because- stop. He made her feel ashamed and stupid because of her thoughts. Damn Malfoy.

"Malfoy?", she asked after a few minutes, when she was sure her blush was solely the fault of her burn. "How about meeting at Astronomy Tower at Tuesday, half past ten?"

She heard a coughing noise from the bed next to her. Malfoy choked on a gulp of water and looked at her like she was out of her mind. She just smiled at him unaccommodatingly. "Well… yeah, Granger!", he choked out. "But no low tricks this time. And never, ever, keep me from a Quidditch match again."

Hermione gave him a diabolic grin. It were just a few days until Tuesday…

* * *

Draco was thinking. Hermione hated him, her latest activity was proof enough. She might look as pretty as she pleased. He'd forget her and keep Pansy as a girlfriend and honor his family name, as long as he didn't have to become a Deatheater. That shrew was nuts. No way was taming the shrew. The weasel should do that.

"Draco? Potions?", Millicent Bulstrode brought him back to the here and now again, because his thoughts often made themselves independent during Muggle Studies. Draco put on his arrogant mask and marched to Snape's dungeon.

His teacher seemed to indulge his passion to make students' lives a misery, because he paired him up with Granger and Goyle. Goyle was no use at all and Hermione – a Gryffindor. Nonetheless he remembered his manners and fetched all the ingredients for the three of them.

Draco was more than satisfied, when Goyle screwed it up after about five minutes and to Draco's annoyance Granger brewed perfectly again. And to his utter and complete enragement something with his own potion went wrong. He knew very well that he hadn't made any mistake. Nevertheless his potion was more of a nauseating brewage than the lemony-smelling liquid Hermione had produced.

In record-time, it seemed, his fellow student had finished her own potion and handed Snape an example. And he was still stuck at step number five "add the flubberworms and stir twice…" He saw Granger returning confidently, victory in her eyes, fetching her satchel. He shrugged – there was nothing which could go wrong anymore – and flipped the worms into his cauldron. It exploded.

As if the day hadn't been ruined already, Madam Pomfrey told him to forget about the upcoming Quidditch match tomorrow, because he had to stay in the infirmary for two days. He was still thinking whether he should take his displeasure out on Granger or not, when she had the nerve to compare him to Longbottom. Furthermore she insinuated to be responsible for the explosion.

Draco saw that screaming around like a madman would mean a dreamless potion, so he just sipped his water and kept quiet. He swallowed his anger with some water. Half of it he choked out, when Granger actually asked him: "How about meeting at Astronomy Tower at Tuesday, half past ten?"

This sounded very much like Pansy, but surely not like Granger! He finally agreed, both suspicious and curious. Maybe she had changed her mind after all.

In the next morning he kept on and on about Quidditch and that he wasn't allowed to play, much to Hermione's and Madame Pomfrey's dismay. Hermione put an end to his complaints by silencing him with a quick "_Silencio!_", but this cost her ten points from Gryffindor, because the nurse had seen it and performing magic was forbidden in the infirmary.

Potter caught the snitch.

Granger looked good in her short hospital gown. Only the burns in her face disturbed the general view. She sent him poisonous glances, whenever she caught him staring. But he just couldn't miss this opportunity.

When Madame Pomfrey finally released both students and they left the hospital wing together, Granger said to him: "Don't miss our date!" and disappeared before he could answer. What had happened to her? Not that he minded the date. Quite the opposite actually. Since he had been deciding that he'd treat Granger no differently than other girls, his conscience had kept quiet. It was better that way. That stupid mirror could show him what it wanted. He, Draco Malfoy, wouldn't soften any more.

He rushed to his dormitory to fetch his books for the lessons and then he ran straight to Arithmancy. After a rather entertaining double period, Draco's only interest was lunch in the Great Hall. He was dragged along with the mainstream – everybody seemed to be hungry at the same time.

When Draco reached the last stairs, he recognized Potter walking next to him, grinning. Just in the same moment he began insulting Potter as usual, Potter aimed his wand at him and murmured the spell for the Trip Jinx, actually Draco's specialty. Of course Draco tried to catch himself before falling, but he only managed to see into Granger's eyes and notice the malicious joy in them. The he fell.

Anchorlessly Draco stumbled down the stony stairs and dragged Granger with him, flailing. He accidentally used her as a cushion when he thudded on the stairhead. "Malfoy, get off me!", she shouted as soon as she got to breathe again. She unsuccessfully tried to beat his chest in order to get him to move away. "Granger!", he snapped with a great blush. "Stop it!", he coughed and tried to rise. He moaned.

He hadn't managed to rise fully, when Weasel kicked him in his side ruggedly and sent him to the floor right next to Hermione. "Didn't you hear Hermione? She told you to get off her, not taking advantage of the whole situation, you disgusting-" "What is happening here, Potter, Weasley?", Snapes voice sounded suddenly. Both students winced. "And Miss Granger, is it your definition of fun to writhe on the dirty floor? Get up immediately!" Harry pulled Hermione up.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, because you three are holding everyone up.", Snape hissed and aimed at Draco. "_Episkey_!", he added and Draco's ankle felt a lot better and his lung started to work properly again. "Thank you, Professor.", he said and instantly felt like Crabbe, who also kissed his ass because of some random bagatelles.

Draco dusted off his robe and pranced towards the Great Hall. Somehow Granger had the surprising talent to maneuver him in somewhat embarrassing situations in front of the whole school. Now she sat at the Gryffindor's table and talked to Ginny Weasley. Why had he ever believed that he had fallen for her? This was ridiculous.

He preferred Pansy instead, even though she tried to instill a piece of meat into him with her fork at the moment. Draco banned the word "feeding" from his mind. He didn't want to be embarrassed again with all people present, so he quickly put her fork aside and rather kissed a very excited Pansy.

* * *

Chapter 9 is under progress. (If you can say this in English.)


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you for reviewing, potterhead27. I was busy today, so here's the next chapter. Enjoy! ;)

* * *

Hermione had made a short-term decision: Draco Malfoy must suffer this very day. And she also knew how. Before their Arithmancy lesson started, she waited for Harry and Ron and explained her plan to them: both of them were to wait in the floor to the Great Hall and watch out for Malfoy.

When he reached the stairs, they should spell him with the Triple Jinx, so that he'd have to lie down in front of all teachers and pupils and therefore was humiliated. Just like she had felt when he'd been watching her in the hospital wing.

Harry and Ron were enthused; she'd expected so much.

After their lesson Hermione hurried up. She wanted to be the first in the Great Hall and she waved at Harry and Ron. The show could finally start. She positioned herself at the stairhead. Malfoy would lie directly in front of her feet. He'd be extremely pissed, Hermione knew for sure. All the better for their duel on Tuesday. She was looking forward to it.

She saw Harry and Malfoy appear at the top of the stairs. In the next moment, Malfoy staggered anchorlessly and fell down the stairs and before Hermione was able to do _something_, he fully hit her, carried her away and flopped on top of her. The clash with the stony floor made Hermione gasp for breath. Malfoy obviously couldn't breathe either.

Panicking, Hermione panted for air and screamed at Malfoy, who still gasped. Why didn't he get up? He lay on top of her and that was definitive closer than Hermione ever wanted him to be. So she hammered against his chest when he tried to rise up. But unfortunately, she was too weak.

Luckily, Ron wasn't. He kicked Malfoy with a disgusted expression, so Malfoy groaned again and rolled away with quite a drive. Her skin prickled in the area where he had touched her, but Hermione didn't have the time to wonder about this – not when Snape deducted 50 points because of Malfoy.

But she'd deduct the same amount from Malfoy, when she'd have the opportunity to. Latest date of getting back at him was Tuesday. Harry helped her getting up and they went to the Gryffindor table furiously. Ginny was already seated there, but she'd noticed the riot. "What happened back there, Hermione?", she asked her friend. Hermione looked at her ungraciously. "Malfoy!", she spat, "That's what happened. He'll regret it!", Hermione promised and told Ginny that she'd challenged Malfoy.

Ginny's eyes went wide. "But… you feel something for min, Hermione, even a blind can see that!", she said doubtfully. Hermione surrendered and told Ginny quietly about Specula Anima. "But still, I don't love him! And I surely don't believe in destiny or fortune-telling.", she finished sullenly. "We'll see…", Ginny murmured scarcely audible.

Hermione anyhow, was more determined than ever to get the 50 points back. Malfoy's sheer arrogance had to be punished. Hermione turned her head towards Slytherin table and saw Malfoy kissing his girlfriend. Quickly Hermione averted her eyes because seeing this caused her nausea. Damn Malfoy! Now she looked at Ginny instead, whose expression mirrored sympathy: that wasn't better at all.

The best thing to do on the weekend was keeping her head down. She could still try on Monday to improve her failed mission. At least this weekend they were allowed to visit Hogsmeade and Hermione urgently needed to refill her supplies from Zonko's.

On Monday the Gryffindors and the Slytherins had Defense against the Dark Arts- lessons. Hermione, Harry and Ron entered the classroom and the first thing she saw was the Slytherin-clique with Malfoy in its midst, who lounged on the chair casually. He looked well, crossed Hermione's mind and when Malfoy had the nerve to look at her with an slightly arrogant smile, Hermione blushed and sat down in the last row; she wanted to be safe from his glances. Besides, the last row still offered the best hiding place for her new plan.

When their Professor finally started telling them something about the Patronus Charm, Hermione stopped listening for once, just like all the other Gryffindors. They were able to conjure Patroni thanks to DA.

Hermione emptied her bags. She carefully fished for some billowing balls and started to shake because she was suppressing a laugh so hard. The plain vanilla-medicine: Zonko's stink bombs. Hated by Filch, loved by the pupils. Hermione waited until the Professor wrote a longer passage on the board. "_Wingardium Leviosa_!", Hermione whispered and directed the pending balls aboveMalfoy's seat. "_Descendo_!" And the bombs dropped.

Malfoy escaped a sound of surprise, when the bombs burst on his head and his lap and covered him in nasty foul-smelling liquidness. The Gryffindors began laughing uncontrollably. The Professor's head turned around and he searched for the origin of the disruption. In the same moment Malfoy rose up to get rid of the slobber and shook his dripping arms.

"Mr Malfoy! Would you care to explain what you're doing?", the Professor asked angrily, much to Hermione's pleasure. "I…", Malfoy started, but didn't know how to continue, because he obviously was looking more for a cleaning spell than an answer. "Yes, you, Mr Malfoy. Apparently you're too stupid to handle stink bombs, so you'll have to go to detention at Friday evening. And twenty points from Slytherin.", the Professor blustered. "And now, all of you, get out, lesson's finished. That stech is unbearable!"

Hermione fetched her bag and ran out of the classroom with tears of laughter in her eyes. She saw Malfoy following her close on her heels, but he stormed past her heading for the dungeons. Probably he'd want to bathe right now. Well, he could have that. While Hermione received the Gryffindors' congratulations, she was planning the next step already. Ohh, Malfoy would be coming to their duel completely and utterly furious.

Hermione took Harry's Invisibility Cloak quickly and also the Marauders' Map and sneaked off the prefects' bathroom. She said the password – "Salix alba" – and the door opened, but if the mermaid couldn't see anyone, hopefully she'd let Malfoy in nonetheless.

Her next plan was certain since she'd been in Harry's dorm, when she'd fetched his cloak. Neville, one of Harry's dorm mates, took a liking for strange plants and that's why she'd found a small jungle of more or less dangerous plants on the window bench. For example _Mimbulus mimbletonia_. If in danger, it exuded some stinky juice. There was also an offshoot of a _Devil's Snare_. Hermione, Ron and Harry hat met one before during their first grade.

Both plants Hermione had "borrowed" as well. She planted the _Mimbulus mimbletonia_ next to the entrance. Hopefully it would spatter its juice, when Malfoy ran the risk of stepping onto it. Behind it she deposited the jar with the _Devil's Snare_. "_Engorgio_!", Hermione told the plant and tapped on it; immediately its size became somewhat unhealthy. The bigger the plant, the better for Malfoy.

Hermione regarded her work contently and down in a corner, wrapped in the Cloak and waiting patiently. She watched Malfoy's dot in the Marauders' Map again. And again, she had been right: the Slytherin made his way straight to her. That this thought made Hermione's heart beat faster, she explained with her nervousness: he mustn't catch her.

The door opened and Malfoy entered. "What in Merlin's-", he began, when he finally saw the plants, but it was too late already; he slipped on the slippery floortiles, lost his wand and slid into the enlarged _Devil's Snare._

Hermione opened a small package of Instant Darkness Powder and threw the dust into the air. Everything went black immediately. _Devil's Snares_ loved darkness and warmth more than everything else. Malfoy's gagging noises just proved that. The plant probably twined itself round Malfoy and choked him.

Abruptly the light reappeared and Hermione saw that Malfoy desperately tried to reach his wand in order to get rid of the plant, but over and over he slipped in the green phlegm of _Mimbulus mimbletonia_ or was held back by the nasty tentacles.

Hermione fought back an evil laugh. Well, she didn't want to kill him. So she on her way out, she pushed his wand in his direction, so he finally got a grip on it.

Back in the Gryffindor common room, she put Neville's _Mimbulus mimbletonia_ back and also lay back Harry's Cloak and his Map. The she went to her own dormitory because she needed a quiet place to think. But instead of a quiet place she found Ginny waiting on her bed.

"I've heard what you've done to Malfoy, congrats!", Ginny grinned. But then she got serious. "I really don't know what to do anymore, Hermione!", she complained. "A few minutes ago I asked Harry, if he wanted to visit Hogsmeade with me – and can you guess what he answers? 'Yeah, well, why don't you join me, Ron and Hermione?'"

Hermione knew that today, nothing was impossible. She dragged Ginny to their common room, to Ron and Harry. "Harry!", she said loudly, and he flinched, "If Ginny asks you, whether she could go to Hogsmeade with you, then she means only you, not with Ron and me. It's not that hard to understand, is it?"

She left Ginny – brilliant red in her face – , a very angry Ron and a very surprised Harry behind. Back in her dormitory, Hermione thought about her situation. She'd known for weeks that Draco Malfoy had to be her love – and potions weren't mistaken – but Hermione's mind strictly denied it. There was no such thing as destiny.

Yeah, so maybe Malfoy was good looking, intelligent and so much more, but hey, it was Malfoy! And he was the worst philanderer who had set feet into Hogwarts since Sirius Black. And he was probably the most arrogant person since Salazar Slytherin himself.

Well, Tuesday could come. Malfoy would realize that he had picked on the wrong person.

Draco sat down in his chair in the DADA classroom, pampered by Pansy. "Get lost, Pansy!", he murmured and immediately, she drew her hands back. Despite his usual behavior Draco was slouching on his chair and sprawled his legs.

At the same moment the Gryffindors were entering the room. He caught Hermione's gaze at onceand she blushed. His heart beat faster when he noticed this. Draco didn't want to know why, and put his usual mask on.

The lesson was about Patroni and Draco was really bored about the theme, even if it still cost him a great amount of power to produce a corporeal Patronus. Instead he chose to fantasize about the date with Granger tomorrow and how it was likely to end.

Hopefully in his dormitory, Draco thought. Then he'd proof Blaise wrong and the little voice in the back of his mind would be silenced for once and for all, because it would turn out that Granger was just a normal girl like everyone else.

Suddenly Draco was pulled out his thoughts ruggedly. Something touched his head and burst – something landed on his lap and broke – and there was a nasty stinky liquid everywhere. He made a disgusted noise and rose to get some of the liquid off.

But before he could do so, the Professor noticed him and deducted twenty points from Slytherin. What the fuck, Draco thought, it was just obvious, that he hadn't caused the mess. Plus, he got himself detention. Damn the Gryffindors! He turned around to face them and saw Granger escaping, tears of laughter in her eyes.

He followed her and ran past her, heading to his dormitory. He needed his towel and new clothes. Then Draco rushed to the prefects' bathroom to get rid of the stink bomb liquid. Even his hair stuck together. And again there had been Granger present, when he was made a fool. A suspicion crept up in him. Granger.

"Salix alba!", he told the mermaids, who smiled at him and let him pass. He even had quite an effect on female portraits. His ruffled ego was pleased. Then Draco's eyes went wide in surprise. What idiot placed his plants right in front of the door where everybody tripped over them? But it was too late, he'd already made the fatal next step.

Then something bespattered and he slipped on thick green phlegm and hit the ground hard. He lost his grip on his wand.

Instantly he felt something wrapping itself around his feet. Before he could see what it was, everything went pitch-black. Draco noticed that this _thing_ entwined around him only faster and bore against his chest quite strongly. He choked and wanted to shake it off, but this didn't work.

As suddenly as it had come, the darkness disappeared and the plant stopped growing and winding around his throat and head. It just tried to choke him. He recognized it now: a _Devil's Snare_.

And he couldn't reach his damn wand, because he couldn't move; if he managed, he slipped again. Somehow Merlin must have listened to his prayers, because his wand suddenly glided towards his hand. Draco gripped it and conjured a fire, which burnt the plant's sprouts, so it let go of him.

Draco wondered who was responsible for this cowardly attempted murder, when he finally took a relaxing bath and had the phlegm washed off. It had to be someone, who knew the password to the bath. Granger. Granger! Draco snorted. That just couldn't be true, could it. It had been her, that was a safe bet. But why did she do this? First she tried to embarrass him in public, then she asked him out…

Tomorrow evening could come.

And Draco could hardly wait. He eventually told Blaise, who looked at him with a knowing smile. "Draco, I'm not stupid. Do you really think that I don't know which mirror you were searching at the beginning of the year? And that I don't know what it shows you? You may fool Pansy and Crabbe, but surely not me. I'm sure that I knew what you saw in Erised."

"You know that this mirror exists?"; Draco drawled, just to buy some time.

"Show me one person who doesn't. After all, Potter fought You-know-who in first grade and the mirror played an important rule.", Blaise answered. "Dumbledore explained everything." After a while Blaise continued: "Anyways, I wish you luck for your meeting." Then he went away.

As if Draco listened, when Dumbledore was speaking about bloody Gryffindor. Especially when they earned all the points at the end of the year.

When it was time, Draco rose from the dark-green armchair and went to Astronomy Tower. He wanted to prove Granger and himself that she was just another adventure. As soon as he reached the first flight of stairs to the Tower, he saw Granger already waiting for him. She must be in a hurry, if she didn't even go up all the way.

"Malfoy.", she greeted. He rose an eyebrow. Without taking the time to greet her in return, Draco said: "I know that it was you, who dropped the stink bombs on me. And I also know that it was you who ambushed me the prefect's bathroom. And that it was you who incited Potter to push me down the stairs. But – I still live."

"I can see that.", Granger replied dryly. "But your arrogance makes it impossible for me to not wanting to kill you."

Draco wanted to become furious, because nobody had the right to talk to a Malfoy like that. But he just couldn't. He couldn't be angry with Granger or hate her fiercely like he did not so long ago. He wanted to kiss her. His hormones obviously played up. Don't think, stop analyzing everything, Draco thought, just do it!

So he stepped closer, to put his intention into practice.


End file.
